Leading Causes Of Abnormal Weight Loss

Abnormal weight loss can be a disturbing symptom, as it can be associated with some serious medical conditions. The causes can also be psychological, as when someone has an eating disorder or is depressed. In all cases, however, medical advice should be sought so that the right treatment can be recommended. What follows are some of the main causes of abnormal weight loss and the ways it's dealt with.

Drug or alcohol abuse can cause abnormal weight loss. Stimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamines and others can suppress the appetite and speed up the metabolism, causing the person to lose weight. In some cases, prescription drugs can also have this affect. People who are addicted to drugs may also spend all their available money on their habit and neglect eating, which can also contribute to their weight loss. While it's sometimes obvious if someone is abusing drugs, in some cases the person goes to great lengths to hide it from others. So if you suspect this is the case with someone in your life, try to spot other possible symptoms so you can determine if they need help in this area.

A variety of gastrointestinal illnesses can cause weight loss. While everyone fears cancer, there are quite a few other conditions that can bring about abnormal weight loss, and these can be quite serious in their own right. Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and certain types of ulcers are all possible reasons for unexplained weight loss. In many cases, if you have one of these conditions, you'll also have other symptoms, which may include a change in your bowel movements, discomfort in your stomach or abdomen or a change in your appetite. Any such symptoms should be looked into to determine their cause. While these can be troublesome and even chronic medical conditions, they are all treatable and with the right approach you can manage them.

It's important to take abnormal weight loss seriously, as in some cases it's overlooked simply because in this day and age so many people are taught to consider weight loss a positive thing. While most of the time it is, you want your weight loss to come about naturally, because you're eating sensibly and exercising. Since many people nowadays are overweight, sometimes people overlook, or even welcome unexplained weight loss, because they've been trying to lose weight anyway. Yet losing a significant amount of weight for no obvious reason is never a good thing, so even if you wanted to drop some pounds, it's essential to find out what's causing the weight loss. Anyone experiencing abnormal weight loss should find out why as soon as possible. If there's a medical reason, treating the underlying condition will often stop the unwanted weight loss. Depending on the problem, your doctor may recommend a change in diet, or certain medications to help you gain weight again. The above information on abnormal weight loss refers to some, but certainly not all of the potential causes of this symptom.This information was brought to you by http://vibrantviews.hubpages.com/hub/3-Main-Costs-of-Affordable-Multifocal-Glasses-for-You, your source for all things related on womens reading glasses.