Loss of appetite: Causes, complications và remedies

Surely we have experienced loss of appetite at least once in our lives. This is a fairly common phenomenon and occurs for many different reasons. If you only temporarily feel anorexia at a specific time, this is not a cause for concern. However, if anorexia becomes a disease and lasts for a long time, you need to monitor and determine what the cause is. At this time, finding out the cause of the disease is extremely necessary, which is the basis to help us solve the above situation. Because of this, the body is fully supplemented with essential nutrients and creates energy to help you maintain daily activities.

What causes loss of appetite?

Due to bacteria and virus

Appetite loss can arise anywhere because of bacterial, viral, fungal, or different infections, such as: An upper respiratory infection, Pneumonia, Gastroenteritis, Colitis, …

Psychological causes

Psychological changes such as sadness, boredom, irritability or anxiety will reduce appetite. Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, can also lead to a general decrease in appetite. A person with anorexia nervosa goes through starvation or other methods of losing weight. People with this condition are often underweight and afraid of gaining weight, leading to malnutrition.

Medical condition

The following medical conditions can cause your appetite to decrease: Chronic liver disease, kidney failure, heart failure, hepatitis, HIV, dementia, hypothyroidism, cancer. In addition, for pregnant women, anorexia can also occur in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Medications

Some medications can reduce your appetite. Includes prescription medications such as antibiotics, codeine, morphine, chemotherapy drugs. Or some illicit drugs, addictive drugs such as cocaine, heroin, amphetamine.

Complications

If your loss of appetite is short-lived, you will likely recover naturally. Loss of appetite occurs continuously for a long time, causing the body to not be provided with enough necessary nutrients and unable to create energy to help you live comfortably.

In addition, loss of appetite will directly affect health and leave many serious consequences. Specifically, the function of organs shows signs of decline, and the aging process occurs faster.

If it is caused by a medical condition, the condition could get worse without treatment. Loss of appetite is often accompanied by severe symptoms, such as: Fast heart rate, irritability, weight loss, extreme fatigue,...

Home remedies

  • Eat several small meals a day rather than three larger ones.
  • Try to make these meals high in calories and protein to make sure the body receives enough nutrients and energy.
  • Adding herbs and spices to foods can also encourage people to eat more easily. 
  • Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. 

  • Gentle exercise, such as a short walk, can also sometimes increase your appetite.
  • If persistent loss of appetite causes you to lose weight and become malnourished, see a doctor for examination and promptly find the cause.

Source: https://www.medicoverhospitals.in/symptoms/loss-of-appetite