Weight loss

If you weighed more before than you do now, you have experienced weight loss. Weight loss basically just means that you have lost weight. This can be achieved in various ways. Below we will look at what weight loss is and what you can do about it.

What is weight loss?

Weight loss is losing weight. This means that your body has become less heavy. The only way this can happen is through tissue loss. There are a number of types of tissue that can be lost. Fat can be lost in your body, but important tissue such as muscle can also be lost, causing you to experience weight loss.

How do I recognize weight loss?

If you barely weigh yourself, it is sometimes difficult to recognize weight loss. There are a number of ways in which you can do this. This way it is possible to see your clothes become more spacious. This may also be noticed by someone around you. However, the best way to know this is to weigh yourself.

The causes of weight loss

Weight loss can occur for a number of reasons. This is something you can do consciously, but there is often unconscious weight loss. There are many different causes. Some of these causes are:

• Cancer
• Endocrine gland disorders, such as diabetes
• Digestive disorders, such as gluten intolerance or liver problems
• Anorexia or depression
• Infections, such as HIV or hepatitis C
• Dementia
• Heart failure
• Lung diseases
• Dietary habits
• Smoking and other drugs

The causes of unintentional weight loss differ per age. For children, weight loss is often due to allergies, while for the elderly this is mainly due to cancer.

Can I do something about it myself?

The best thing you can do for weight loss yourself is to determine this loss. You can do this by weighing yourself. By weighing yourself, you can go to the doctor with proof. This allows diseases to be recognized more quickly.

Can a doctor do anything for me?

A doctor is the best help for unintentional weight loss. The doctor can determine a cause as quickly as possible. Depending on the cause, different treatments are possible.

Weight loss due to medications

Another important cause of weight loss can be medications. Certain medications can cause you to lose a lot of weight. It depends on the drug what effect it has on weight loss. One drug will cause more weight loss than another drug.

Before you are prescribed a medication, you often see this as a side effect. This is something you will be informed about in advance. Even with heavy drugs there is a good chance that you will lose weight. This is because you are more concerned with the drugs than with the food.

Medications for weight loss

Nowadays there are hardly any medications available that can counteract your weight loss. The only way to solve this is to eat more. Some diseases make this very difficult. It is therefore sometimes possible to receive professional help here to prevent weight loss.