What Are The Causes Of Unintentional Weight Loss In Athletes?

Unintentional weight loss is always worrisome, especially in athletes who often can’t afford to lose weight without negatively impacting their performance. Causes of unintentional weight loss may be serious, but in some cases athletes can resolve this problem by making changes to their meal plans and training schedules. Athletes commonly experience weight loss from insufficient caloric intake, increased training, hyperthyroidism and other medical conditions.

Insufficient Caloric Intake

Athletes are among the few people who need to consciously add calories to their daily menus. However, because food quality directly affects performance, athletes tend to be more focused on healthy eating than the average person. Many athletes may choose “diet” foods that are lower in calories and fat and high in fiber in an attempt to eat as healthily as possible. However, athletes typically require at least 2,500 to 3,000 calories per day to meet the demands of their training schedules. To ensure sufficient caloric consumption, athletes should include foods from all food groups, aim for about 25 to 30 percent of calories from healthy fats and eat four to six meals per day.

Increased Training

Athletes in training typically train more often and include more challenging workouts as their season peaks. As workouts increase, athletes may burn more calories than they end up consuming and see an unexpected weight loss on the scale. Some athletes train for hours per day, which can reduce time left for other activities such as preparing meals and eating. Additionally, hard exercise can act as an appetite suppressant, causing athletes to reduce their food intake when they should be eating more. Athletes who suspect their weight loss is due to a heavier training schedule should plan to add calorie-dense foods such as peanut butter, avocado, trail mix and granola to their diet and bring portable snacks to eat between workouts. If a hard workout leaves you without an appetite, ingesting liquid calories such as a smoothie with fruit, yogurt and protein powder after training can help you meet your caloric needs.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid works at an accelerated rate, overproducing thyroxine. While only about 1 percent of the United States population has this condition, thyroid problems occur more frequently in athletes. In addition to unexplained weight loss, symptoms of hyperthyroidism include fatigue, insomnia, feelings of muscle weakness, increased resting heart rate, mood swings and in some cases, goiter or swelling of the neck. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor to have your thyroid levels tested.

Other Medical Conditions

There are many medical conditions that can cause unintentional weight loss, ranging from food intolerances to more serious illnesses such as cancer. While serious illnesses among athletes are rare, more typical medical conditions affecting athletes include disorders that cause gastrointestinal problems. Celiac disease, which results from a gluten intolerance, can affect nutrient absorption and cause weight loss. Chron’s disease is a gastrointestinal disease which causes inflammation of the digestive tract, and can lead to malabsorption of nutrients, diarrhea and stomach pain. Unexpected weight loss in athletes may also be attributed to depression, stress and other mental issues. Athletes who are unable to maintain a healthy weight despite proper nutrition should consult their doctor.