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What Causes a Person to Lose Weight Rapidly?

Feb 21, 2011 | By Gail Morris

Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States. The weight loss industry is a multibillion-dollar industry designed to answer the needs and questions of those who want to trim a few pounds to a few hundred pounds from their bodies. However, a few conditions may cause you to experience rapid weight loss that might require the attention of your primary care physician.

Cancer

Cancer causes weight loss and fatigue, which worsen as the cancer progresses. Patients may notice an unexplained weight loss despite a good appetite before diagnosis, according to Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. This is because the cancer tumor and cells have a higher metabolism and require more energy to replicate and grow, burning more calories than you eat. At other times, you may experience rapid weight loss as the cancer progresses and food causes nausea and vomiting.

Gastrointestinal Disease

Malnutrition and rapid weight loss are common in people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, according to HealthCastle.com. If you suffer from Crohn's disease, the risk is higher for weight loss than if you have ulcerative colitis. These are the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease. Weight loss from these conditions may be due to poor absorption and digestion of nutrients, increased calorie requirements from the inflammatory response in the intestines, decreased amount of food eaten because of discomfort and pain or increased food and nutrient losses from diarrhea.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is the result of too much thyroid hormone being secreted into your body from the thyroid gland. This gland is located in your neck directly above your sternum. When too much thyroid hormone is produced, it increases the metabolic rate of your body and causes more calories to be burned. This increase in calorie burn is not often matched by an increase in nutritional intake, resulting in rapid weight loss. Thyroid hormone also regulates temperature. Because your metabolism is increased and thyroid hormone increases your temperature, you often feel warmer than those around you. Other symptoms include fatigue at the end of the day, insomnia, trembling of your hands and irregular heartbeat. If the condition becomes severe, you may also suffer shortness of breath, chest pain and muscle weakness.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that influences the way blood sugar is used by your body. Because of a lack of the hormone insulin, or because your body can no longer use insulin properly, blood glucose levels rise. According to KidsHealth, undiagnosed and untreated diabetes can cause weight loss, because your body cannot use the energy you eat. This causes the glucose and calories to be flushed out of your body through the kidneys and urine. This weight loss happens in the face of an increased appetite, as your body attempts to regain the calories it is losing. Once diagnosis is made and treatment is instituted, weight often returns to normal.

References

Article reviewed by Leah Ann Crussell Last updated on: Feb 21, 2011

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