Health & Fitness

Unexplained Weight Gain and Medical Conditions

unexplained weight gain
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If you’ve observed that the number on your scale is rapidly growing, but your eating habits and level of physical activity haven’t changed, then you are experiencing a condition so-called “unexplained weight gain”.

However, if you’re suddenly gaining weight that doesn’t appear to make sense (and isn’t related to regular life changes), it could be a clue that something strange is going on with your body. Consider hormone imbalances or other malicious health issues that are causing your metabolism to malfunction.

Then, it raises somewhere needs to seek medical attention. However, there are some medical conditions mentioned below that seem like ground breeding for weight gain….

Note: if you are experiencing some unexplained weight loss, then tap here to know about its medical conditions and treatments.

1. Insomnia

We can define the term insomnia as a lack of sleep. Researches show that lack of sleep is also a big reason for unnecessary weight gain. Insomnia not only disturbs the sleep cycle but also has a considerable effect on eating patterns and mood and human behavior.

Furthermore, many kinds of research have been conducted for decades. Studies reported insomnia causes a lack of better sleep, food patterns. As a result, it leads to weight gain to a certain pound. Moreover, it causes to increase the people’s appetite or hunger to eat more.

Subsequently, Patients with insomnia have more cravings for carbohydrates than required to meet their energy levels. Participants with insomnia take more calories after dinner leading to unexplained weight gain for unaware people.

Symptoms

  • Irritability
  • Midnight awakening
  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Fatigue and daytime tiredness

Treatment

  • Taking Benzodiazaines
  • Selective hypnotics

2. Quitting smoking

Studies prove that quitting smoking is a hidden reason for unexplained weight gain. As a matter of fact that, a person who stops smoking, has more cravings for carbs and food. As Cigarette has an active ingredient called nicotine. The act of suppressing nicotine has withdrawal symptoms i.e stress. Consequently, stress leads to having craving more for food. As a result, the patient gains weight unconditionally.

Researches conducted and reported shows that a person gains 1 kg in his first month of quitting smoking. Moreover, it depends on person to person. However, the weight gaining rate slows down by the end of 6 months. Majorly, the weight gaining process seems during the first 3 months after quitting smoking. 

Symptoms

  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Sleeping problems
  • Enhancing appetite
  • Weight gain
  • These withdrawal symptoms wear off after 2 to 4 weeks.
weight gain associated to stress

3. Stress

Everybody goes through the survival mode in their life once. When life demands intensively affect the person’s mind, there induce some hormone in the human body so-called stress hormone. Cortisol is known as a stress hormone. 

When a person is in a stressful state. During this stage, the cortisol hormone is released into the body. As a result, it becomes a reason to induce appetite more than needed to meet the energy level. And of course, a person then tries to meet the high-calorie food. Consequently, it becomes the breeding ground for unexplained weight gain.

Symptoms

  • Headache
  • Anxiety 
  • High blood pressure
  • Stomach problems
  • Exhaustion
  • And more importantly, weight gain

Treatment

  • Take some yoga training
  • Get in touch with your health care provider

4. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The term polycystic ovary syndrome is also denoted by PCOS. People usually are familiar with that medical illness. Where an ovary exceeds producing sex hormones. Subsequently, leads to weight gain issues.

Symptoms

  • Losing of normal hair mass
  • Excessive hair on back, chest, or waist
  • Acne scar problems
  • More importantly irregularity in periods and weight gain
  • Treatment

Treatment

  • Doctors suggest performing some light physical exercises.
  • Having a diet that meets a person’s all requirements
  • By changing your lifestyle, a person can easily overcome it.
  • Above all, hormonal medication are seem helpful

5. Heart Failure

When the heart isn’t able to perform its further function so-called heart failure. It may also be a reason for gaining weight. The body starts retaining fluid in some areas of the body.

In other words, If blood flows slowly towards and away from the heart, therefore, it starts collecting more or less fluid to some tissues of the body leading to unexplained weight gain.

Approximately, 2 to 3 pounds of weight gain over 24 hours has been observed. Furthermore, 5 pounds of weight gain has been noticed according to some researches. Lastly, I would say it depends on person to person.

Symptoms

  • Areas of swelling due to fluid retention are…
  • Feet
  • Legs
  • Ankles
  • Stomach area
  • Other complicated symptoms are…
  • Pulmonary edema
  • Dizziness 
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sleep problems

People experiencing such of these symptoms alongside weight gain should go to the doctor to seek the medical attention.

6. Issues related kidney

Kidney failure or nephrotic syndrome is also the hidden reason behind the weight gain. For instance, if a patient’s kidney is not able to perform its functions properly like, not releasing the waste out from the body. Resultantly, it leads to fluid retention in the tissues of the body. Therefore causes weight gain.

Areas where fluid is retained…

  • Ankles
  • Legs
  • Feet

Other symptoms

  • Itchiness
  • Hunger problems
  • Arthritis
  • Headaches
  • Foamy urine

7. Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is another medical condition that rises the reason for unnecessary weight gain. This condition comes from liver diseases. Where normal cells are replaced with scar cells in the liver. More importantly, it causes to enlarge the abdominal cavity. The reason behind the enlarged abdomen is building up fluid in that cavity. This specific condition is called ascites.

Symptoms

  • Stomach ache
  • Swollen ankles
  • Difficulties in breathing
  • It is noted that people with ascites gain weight of more than 2 lbs for 3 days consecutively.

8. Hypothyroidism

The term hypothyroidism relates to the release of hormones called thyroid hormones. These hormones cause decrease metabolism. This reduction in metabolism leads to weight gain. Moreover, it causes to retain the fluid as well.

Symptoms

  • Brittle nails
  • Exhausted feelings
  • Dry skin and nail
  • Joint problems
  • Constipation

9. Cushing’s syndrome

A patient experiencing Cushing’s syndrome must be facing weight gaining complications. As the matter with of the fact that, in this condition, patients’ body releases an extensive quantity of cortisol hormones for a prolonged duration.

As studies show, the cortisol hormone is a stress hormone. More this hormone response to stress, more a person is vulnerable to weight gain

Moreover, some drugs used to treat asthma, lupus erythematosus, or rheumatoid arthritis have somewhat side effects that cause the Cushing’s syndrome as well.

Weight gaining areas

  • Neck 
  • Face
  • Back near to shoulder
  • Abdomen
  • But legs and arms seem thin as compared to other areas

Other symptoms

  • Joint and muscle weakness
  • Tiredness
  • Bruising
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Menstruation complications

10. Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a disease where a patient experiences enlargement of some specific areas of the body. For example, enlargement of feet, lips, nose, hands, tongue. Because there is a release of too many growth hormones. Secondly, these hormones produce in the pituitary gland therefore acromegaly is also known as a hormonal disorder.

Symptoms

  • Sleep Apnea
  • Snoring
  • Joint pain

Treatment

  • Acromegaly require surgery 
  • More importantly, radiation therapy leads to remove the benign tumor existing in the pituitary gland

11. Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is diagnosed when a patient reaches its last stage of disease. If a patient experiences unexplained weight gains all of sudden, he should seek emergency medical treatments.

Symptoms

  • Frequently need of urination
  • Loss of appetite
  • Digestion problems
  • Pain in abdomen
  • Apnea
  • Pregnancy

We can say, pregnancy is the most common cause of weight gain. Mainly, it is seen that many women intentionally eat more food. As a result, they put on huge weight.

However,  placenta, baby amniotic fluid, and enlargement of users lead to putting on weight as she moves towards delivery.

12. Menstruation complications

Sometimes, menstruation leads to many normal complications. For instance, bloating, fluid retention. Moreover, there some changes in hormonal level may subside weight gain. For example, variation in estrogen and progesterone levels in the blood can be the reason for weight gain.

Summary

Early diagnosis of disease leads to a better prognosis. Unexplained weight gain can occur due to certain reasons. It depends on person to person and condition to a condition in which a person goes through.

In conclusion, if a person is noticing a sudden weight gain without changing any previous diet and lifestyle,  should see their doctors figure out the underlying causes. So that, a health care provider can do a better prognosis and devise a proper treatment plan.

Frequently asked questions about unexplained weight gain

How Unintentional weight gain is assessed?

Several questions regarding your ailments, lifestyle, and medical records will be asked by your doctor. They may also draw blood to examine hormone levels, renal function, liver function, and other health markers that might indicate medical issues.

They may also draw blood to examine hormone levels, renal function, liver function, and other health markers that might indicate medical issues. Some

Imaging tests like an ultrasound, plain film X-ray, MRI, or CT scan is majorly required.

What are the possibilities for dealing with unintended weight gain?

Unintentional weight gain can be treated in a variety of ways. The optimal treatment option is determined by the reason underlying your unexpected weight gain.

Your doctor may recommend medicine to regulate your hormone levels if a hormonal imbalance is a cause. The treatment will be determined by which hormones are impacted. These drugs are frequently taken for a long time.

If your doctor determines that a medicine you’re taking is the source of the problem, he or she will suggest alternate therapies.

When should you visit doctor?

People should consult their doctor if they are gaining weight quickly and unintentionally for no apparent reason.

The doctor will inquire about the patient’s medical history as well as any other symptoms. They may do a physical exam and blood testing, or they may send the patient to a specialist.

Is it true that eating late nate leads to Weight gain?

One typical recommendation is to avoid eating after 8 p.m., although this advice is incorrect. In actuality, when it comes to eating, what you eat is far more important than when you eat.

Do late foodies tend to consume more calories?

One reason for the link between late-night eating and weight gain is that late-night eaters tend to consume more calories overall.

Regardless matter when you consume more calories than you need, you will acquire weight.

Researchers studied the association between meal time-frequency and overall calorie consumption in 59 participants, for example. People who ate their final meal closer to sleep consumed more calories overall than those who ate their last meal earlier.

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  1. Pingback: Ways to Make Drinking Milk More Enjoyable - Fajar Magazine

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