Appetite loss
Appetite loss is a common condition that can affect nearly everyone at some point, but it becomes a significant health concern when it is persistent. The causes of appetite loss can be both psychological and physical. Psychological triggers may include emotional distress, such as grief or chronic depression, while physical causes can range from infections and cancer to autoimmune diseases and the side effects of medications. Anorexia nervosa, a severe form of appetite loss characterized by self-starvation and a fear of gaining weight, primarily affects young women but can also occur in others.
When appetite loss is prolonged, professional treatment is essential to prevent complications like dangerous weight loss and malnutrition. Medical professionals typically conduct thorough evaluations, including physical examinations and blood tests, to identify the underlying causes. If the loss of appetite is linked to psychological factors, referrals to mental health specialists may be necessary. Advances in medical diagnostics have improved the ability to detect physical conditions early, and there are various options available to stimulate appetite when it is affected by medications or health issues. Understanding and addressing appetite loss is crucial for overall health and well-being.
Appetite loss
Also known as: Anorexia
Anatomy or system affected: Gastrointestinal system, heart, immune system, liver, nervous system, psychic-emotional system
Definition: Loss of interest in food, which may be physical or psychological in origin
Causes and Symptoms
Loss of appetite is an almost universal condition that occasionally affects nearly everyone. It becomes a significant health problem only when it persists. Its causes can be psychological or emotional. For example, often, when someone dies, those most affected by the death may stop eating, but they will likely return to normal eating patterns with the passage of time. Chronic depression, however, may result in sustained appetite loss. Loss of appetite may also be triggered by such physical causes as infections, intestinal obstructions, cancer (particularly of the colon and stomach), leukemia, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma, chemotherapy and various other medications, and dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. In many such cases, the cause can be eliminated or controlled in such a way that the appetite returns.
Anorexia nervosa is self-starvation that can have dangerous health consequences. The condition is more prevalent in young women than in older women or in men. People suffering from anorexia have a pathological fear of gaining weight, even when their condition results in becoming perilously thin. Although the term “anorexia” means “loss of appetite,” most people suffering from anorexia continue to experience hunger but ignore the body’s craving for food.
Treatment and Therapy
Because persistent loss of appetite can result in dangerous weight loss and malnutrition, immediate professional treatment is indicated. Where the causes are physical, internists, oncologists, nutritionists, and other health professionals attempt to remove or limit the cause, although this may not always be possible. They must initially determine when the loss of appetite began and whether its onset was gradual or sudden. They need to know whether their patients frequently feel nauseated and whether they can keep down the food that they ingest.
It is also important to determine whether the appetite loss is constant or intermittent. Some patients’ loss of appetite does not include all foods but is limited to some particular foods. In many cases, patients’ moods influence their appetites. In all cases, the starting point for treatment is an extensive physical examination that includes broad-spectrum blood tests and urinalysis. Such tests may detect diabetes, kidney infections, and, in women, pregnancy, all of which may affect appetite and eating habits. When loss of appetite is triggered by such factors as a high and/or persistent fever, controlling the fever by attacking the infection that causes it should control the problem.
More difficult to treat are situations in which loss of appetite is attributable to psychological factors such as depression. Patients in such situations are usually referred to psychiatrists or psychologists. Sometimes they become involved in group therapy that can provide them with support while they cope with their problems. If their anorexia is not controlled, it can prove fatal: patients can lose muscle tone to such an extent that the heart cannot continue to pump blood through the body, and death from heart failure may occur.
Perspective and Prospects
When the causes of appetite loss are physical, they can usually be treated aggressively and effectively. With medical advances that include such sophisticated diagnostic equipment as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scans, physical abnormalities can be detected while they are still in their early developmental stages. Also, advanced techniques of assessing the information provided by blood tests and urinalysis have opened important windows into the area of physical diagnosis. When loss of appetite is attributed to the side effects of certain medications used to treat conditions such as cancers, there are options to stimulate a patient’s appetite. These include supplements, steroids, medications, and marijuana.
Bibliography
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