How to increase appetite for an adult, tips for raising appetite. Decreased Appetite in Adults: Possible Causes and Diagnosis

A healthy appetite is a sure sign of a properly functioning organism. What to do if there is no appetite?

The main rule is not to ignore the "alarm bell" from your own body.

It is necessary to understand the reasons and, of course, try to eliminate them as soon as possible.

Let's talk about what may lie behind the reluctance to eat and what to do if there is no appetite.

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Appetite: causes of violations and ways to solve problems
What to do if your pet refuses food

Appetite of a person, the causes of its violation and ways to solve problems

Appetite in the general sense of the word is identified with the feeling of hunger: one of the basic reactions of the body, inherent in any living organism.

To live, you need to eat - and how and when to do this, the brain (or rather, its part called the hypothalamus) signals us with the help of hunger.

Also, the word appetite can describe the eating habits of a single person.

"He has a great appetite!" - the tenderness of grandmothers by the way their grandchildren wrap home-made cutlets with puree - this is just right here.

And, finally, appetite can manifest itself as a particular desire to eat something special, following the signals of the brain about the need for certain substances.

Find out what loss of appetite can signal

Thus, appetite embraces and satisfies the three goals of our nutrition:

Getting energy
Getting vitamins and minerals
Getting pleasure

All of the above are equally important for a healthy body.

The first and second are the key to physical well-being, but for the harmony of the mental state, one cannot do without the third.

Decrease or loss of appetite (hypo- and anorexia, respectively) is a serious problem that can occur in a person of any age.

It is not always a cause for concern, but always a reason to “slow down”, listen to yourself and understand why the body decided that it didn’t really need food.

Loss of appetite as an independent problem

Hypo- and anorexia are not always a sign of some disorders in the body.

As a rule, this can be easily understood by the absence of associated symptoms.

Wrong lifestyle and bad habits will sooner or later make themselves felt

If all you're experiencing is loss of appetite, the cause is most likely one of the following:

Unhealthy Lifestyle. Bad habits affect the normal functioning of internal organs and lead to a decrease, and sometimes loss of appetite. A sedentary lifestyle also reduces our need for food, as energy is practically not wasted. The solution is simple and complex at the same time - go in for sports, give up bad habits, and your appetite will normalize on its own.
Weather. Weather-sensitive people may experience a decrease in appetite during troubled periods, but those who don't suffer too much weather tend to eat less during the hot summer months. At this time, the main task of the body is to maintain a normal water balance - you need to drink more fluids, and your appetite will return when the heat subsides.
Reaction to medication. Some medications have a noticeable decrease in appetite among the side effects. Never take pills without a doctor's prescription and read the instructions carefully.
Excessive dieting. When dieting, people often ignore the feeling of hunger or mock the body in other ways - and all this undermines the very mechanisms of regulation of hunger, and it can simply turn off. Be sure to consult with a nutritionist, choose the diets that suit you and do not follow them for too long.
Stress, strong emotions, or burnout can also cause temporary loss of appetite. Losing your appetite for a day because of excitement is normal, but make sure that such cases do not become a habit. Take care of your psychological comfort, and the brain will answer you with gratitude - and a good appetite.

To avoid the manifestations of anorexia due to these factors, study how your body works in a normal state.

This will take some time and require some discipline, but the result is worth it: knowing your norms, you can easily identify deviations from them, and it will become easier to notice the reasons.

Loss of appetite can also be caused by decreased physical activity and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Tip: keep records not only about your physical condition, but also a “mood diary”. With its help, you can easily observe the dynamics of your own psychological state, and if problems arise, you can establish when and why they began.

In addition, the reasons for the lack of appetite can be quite natural.

If an elderly person has no appetite, you do not need to immediately wonder what to do.

If a person is generally healthy, and the reluctance to eat is not accompanied by other symptoms, most likely this is just a manifestation of age. The older we get, the less energy the body needs.

Many parents start to panic if the child has no appetite.

What to do in such situations? I like Dr. Komarovsky's advice: don't force children to eat.

A healthy child, having walked up, spending energy, must beg for food himself, and only then it is worth feeding him.

This works well for ages 2 and up. What if there is no appetite for a younger child who still cannot properly communicate his needs to his parents?

Stick to a proper feeding schedule, make sure your baby is full during the meal, and don't encourage snacking - even if it gives you an hour or two of peace.

Do not force your child to eat

If loss of appetite is the main problem that bothers you, it will be easy to solve.

First, use the tips already given above for each individual case: give up bad habits, try to improve your lifestyle and take care of the emotional sphere.

Diversify the diet: sometimes loss of appetite is caused by the monotony of food.

Eat more foods that stimulate your appetite

Treat yourself to delicacies or try to dine in good company - perhaps the food will also seem more attractive with an interesting conversation.

Eat more foods that stimulate your appetite.

These include:

Citrus
Sour apple varieties
grenades
Cranberry
Raspberry
Blackberry
Garlic
Sauerkraut
radish
Cheremsha

There are plenty to choose from. You can also supplement the diet with freshly squeezed vitamin juices and just vitamins - but first you should definitely read about the rules of use and daily allowances.

Secondly, you can resort to folk remedies.

You can return the missing feeling of hunger with useful herbal decoctions. Appropriate fees can be found in pharmacies, or you can prepare yourself.

In older people, lack of appetite is often age related.

I want to tell you about my favorite lemon balm tincture, which is especially good if your appetite has disappeared from stress: it will calm your flabby nerves, and return the desire to have a bite, and please you with taste.

To prepare, take two teaspoons of lemon balm herb, brew half a liter of boiling water, cover with something and leave to infuse for four hours.

Half an hour before the planned meal, drink half a glass, sweetened with honey if desired - you will notice the result very soon.

Loss of appetite as a symptom

Loss of appetite can sometimes indicate more serious problems.

As a rule, such cases are easily identified by the presence of accompanying symptoms: if anorexia is a symptom of a serious problem, it will not come alone.

Wild garlic is considered an excellent means of combating poor appetite (and at the same time a storehouse of the first spring vitamins).

Let's look at the most common diseases, among the manifestations of which is loss of appetite:

The first on the list will be the common cold - and at the same time all kinds of SARS and other infectious diseases. If you or your child has a fever, snot, cough or other cold-flu symptoms, and no appetite, do not be tormented by the question “what to do”: go to the therapist or call the family doctor at home. Do not worry - the lack of appetite in such diseases is completely normal. The forces of the body are aimed at getting rid of the cause of the disease, the immune system is working at its full potential, and there are simply no resources left for digestion. Do not try to eat or force-feed the patient - when the disease passes, the appetite will return by itself.
If the lack of desire to eat is accompanied by intense nausea, vomiting and / or diarrhea, you are most likely poisoned. Intoxication, no matter what caused it, is a very serious problem: do not wait until it "passes by itself" and call an ambulance.
Diseases of the digestive system itself and the internal organs of the abdominal cavity can cause the complete disappearance of appetite. Abdominal pain is usually an accompanying symptom. It is also important here not to start the problem and go to the gastroenterologist in time.
Interruptions in the work of the endocrine system. This requires attention to yourself, since the rest of the symptoms can be easily attributed to stress, fatigue, and many other factors. In order not to miss the onset of problems with the endocrine system, regularly undergo a medical examination and take blood tests - in particular, at least once a year for thyroid hormones.
Depression, problems in the functioning of the nervous system, mental disorders. In this case, you need to look not so much for physical as for emotional symptoms. Constantly low mood, indifference to everything, or, conversely, periods of increased activity and euphoria, accompanied by loss of appetite, may be evidence of serious nervous disorders. Do not be afraid to go to a specialist for advice.
And, finally, the most unpleasant option is oncology, which can be suspected if you have no appetite, feel sick (especially in the morning) and feel dizzy, there is chronic weakness. In this case, the loss of appetite can be both general and related to individual foods that you used to eat with pleasure. What to do, obviously - immediately contact a specialist.

Tip: If you are unsure about one or more of the symptoms, visit a general practitioner or consult your family doctor. He will help you figure it out and direct you to a specialized doctor.

Try a simple and delicious decoction of lemon balm and honey

What to do if your pet refuses food

The people were dealt with; now let's talk about those cases when you noted the disappearance of your pet's appetite.

Understanding that a cat or dog has no appetite is simple: the bowl sits untouched all day, and the pet often also behaves unusually, demonstrating lethargy or unusual activity. What to do?

Of course, first of all - do not worry.

Remember, an animal - that a small child cannot say that it hurts or worries, but it perfectly feels the mood of the owners.

You will not help him in any way with your experiences, but you may well aggravate the problem. So - calmness and only calmness!

The only thing you can do at home if your cat or dog doesn't have an appetite is to make sure you offer the pet the right food.

If the animal has stopped looking at food with interest, take him to the veterinarian

Sometimes our four-legged friends understand long before us that some product is spoiled, and refuse to eat it; this happens and the reaction to a new, unusual food or even a new taste.

For example, my cat ignored rabbit-flavored canned food for days on end, although all the other products of this manufacturer were dying with a bang behind their ears. Everything is individual.

If you have established that the reason for the lack of interest in food does not lie in the food itself, then the answer to the question “what to do” can be only one: urgently take your pet to the veterinarian!

Explain to him that the cat / dog has no appetite, tell him how long this has been going on and what you have already done.

After examining the animal, the doctor will determine the cause and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Animals are the same little children

Tip: do not try to diagnose a pet yourself!

I just want to wish that there is nothing serious behind the interruptions in appetite, and that problems are solved quickly and efficiently.

Be healthy!

life-reactor.com

Sudden and severe weight loss is no less worrisome than weight gain. If a person loses more than 5% of the total body weight every week, this negatively affects the overall well-being and appearance. The reasons for losing weight are divided into 2 large groups: general and medical. With common causes, a person can cope on his own or with the help of friends and relatives. As for the second group, one cannot do without the help of medical knowledge. Weight loss associated with diseases of organs and systems is the most life-threatening. Read about 10 diseases from which people lose weight on estet-portal.com.

Common reasons for losing weight

It cannot be said that a sharp weight loss can be associated purely with the course of pathological processes in the body. There are other reasons for losing weight. Stress and depression, mental stress, phobias and other problems can provoke weight loss. In addition, the worship of a thin body pushes modern girls to follow diets, exhaustion by physical exertion, and all this, together with the fast pace of life, leads to strong weight loss.

So, the first group of reasons for weight loss:

eating disorders:
phobias;
diets and even hunger strikes;
transitional age;
hormonal disruptions;
dependence on drugs or alcohol;
increase in physical activity.

Weight can “jump” during sessions and exams, when moving to a new job, when moving to another country or city, when falling in love. Sometimes, with hormonal surges, weight can decrease, although most often in the female body there is an accumulation of fat deposits and a set of extra pounds.

10 diseases that cause weight loss

80% of cases of weight loss are due to medical reasons for weight loss associated with impaired functioning of one organ or the whole organism. Be careful and watch your weight. In the event of a sharp decrease in body weight and a deterioration in well-being, you should immediately consult with specialists and undergo a medical examination.

Oncology - cancer does not sleep

When there is a change in the color of the skin or sclera of the eyes, weight is reduced, hair falls out, nails break - this is only a small part of the consequences of the first stages of a cancerous tumor. The patient may not yet know that a life-threatening formation is growing in the body. And weight loss can greatly speed up the pathology detection process. Most often, the patient loses weight with the development of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. These diseases can be accompanied by strong weight loss from the first days of the onset of the tumor. As for other types, weight loss may appear after the growth of metastases in the body.

General and first signs of a cancerous tumor:

non-healing of wounds and ulcers;
the presence of seals;
violation of urination and stool;
hoarseness, cough;
weakness;
change in skin color.

Pulmonary tuberculosis

This disease is manifested by a rich clinical picture, one of the first symptoms of which is weight loss. Tuberculosis is considered an intractable disease that can only be fought in the early stages. Other signs of tuberculosis include:

chest and wet cough;
attacks of coughing with the release of blood and pus;
weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength;
severe sweating;
chest pain, runny nose.

Tuberculosis cannot be treated on its own, only staying in a dispensary, under the supervision of doctors and taking long-term medications in the first latent stage can guarantee a cure. A person dies 2-3 years after the lungs are affected by tuberculosis in case of refusal of treatment.

Diabetes

Another reason for weight loss is diabetes. It is the first type of diabetes that provokes weight loss, the second type contributes to obesity. Usually the patient constantly experiences increased appetite, and it is almost impossible to satisfy it, hunger is always present. This is due to an imbalance in blood glucose. During the course of the disease in the blood, there is an increase in glucose and insulin deficiency.

Other symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

dry mouth and thirst;
sweating;
irritability and weakness;
the presence of constant hunger;
vision problems;
frequent urination.

Thyrotoxicosis

This disease is a pathology of the thyroid gland. In the body, intoxication with thyroid hormones occurs with dysfunction of the thyroid gland secreted by these hormones. Also called hyperthyroidism. Weight loss in this disease is associated with an increase in metabolic rate. The patient constantly overeats and at the same time loses weight.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:

intolerance to stuffiness;
cardiopalmus;
tremor;
diarrhea;
thirst;
violation of menstruation in women and decreased libido in men;
attention disorder.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia is characterized by a pathological fear of obesity and an eating disorder (intentional) associated with maximum weight loss in the individual. This disease overlaps with bulimia and binge eating. Adolescents and girls under 25 are most susceptible to this disorder, although men can also have problems. It seems normal for patients to refuse food in order to lose weight. This leads to severe depletion of the body, and if this disease is not stopped, it can lead to death.

Symptoms of uneven anorexia:

fear of getting better;
sleep disturbance;
the patient's denial of their fear of being overweight and the presence of a problem in general;
depression;
feelings of resentment and anger;
changing perceptions of family and social life;
dramatic changes in behavior.

Adrenal insufficiency (hypocorticism syndrome, Addison's disease)

With this disease, the process of producing hormones by the adrenal cortex is disrupted. Types of adrenal insufficiency: chronic and acute, primary and secondary. The disease manifests itself:

muscle weakness;
increasing fatigue;
darkening of the skin (to a bronze color);
lowering blood pressure;
craving for salt;
loss of appetite;
pain in the abdomen.

Alzheimer's disease

Also called senile dementia. The disease is a loss of neural connections in the brain. It usually affects older people over 65 years of age. Although Alzheimer's disease can develop at an early age, after 40 years, if there is a genetic predisposition. Manifested by loss of partial memory and disorientation. Most often, the last events in life fall out of memory, then there is a loss of long-term memory. A person is lost on the ground, ceases to recognize faces, feel emotions, loses acquired knowledge, speech and hearing apparatus are disturbed. The patient may forget to eat, relieve himself, fall asleep or wake up. As a result, a significant body weight is lost, a person cannot exist without additional help from relatives or close people.

Lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease)

This oncological disease is a "growth" of lymphoid tissue, which contains giant Reed-Berezovsky-Sternberg cells. In the first stage, the disease is manifested by an increase in lymph nodes. The cervical and axillary nodes are usually inflamed.

Associated symptoms:

loss of appetite;
enlargement (inflammation) and reduction of lymph nodes;
increased nighttime sweating;
temperature rise.

Ulcerative colitis

This disease is chronic and is an inflammation of the lining of the colon. It is mainly manifested by the following intestinal symptoms:

pain in the abdomen (cutting, aching, radiating to the left side);
diarrhea;
bloating;
loss of appetite;
fever;
disruption of the kidneys and heart.

Bowel obstruction

Violation is caused by narrowing of the lumen of the large intestine and is an advanced stage of cancer. The lumen of the large intestine narrows due to the growth of a cancerous tumor, which blocks the patency of feces and intestinal juices.

It manifests itself with such symptoms:

stool and gas retention;
pain in the abdomen on the left side;
vomit;
asymmetric bloating (from the side of the large intestine).

The above diseases are accompanied by weight loss and severe weight loss against the background of poor health. Any reasons for losing weight should alert a person. In case of identified violations, you should immediately seek help from specialists. Only timely treatment can serve as an early relief from other consequences of severe exhaustion of the body.

estet-portal.com

Many people these days notice that they have no appetite at all. What to do in such a situation? Before taking any action, it is necessary to find out what is the reason for the absolute absence of hunger.

Why did the appetite disappear?

Loss of appetite is not always associated with some serious illness. Today, doctors identify several of the most common causes of this condition:

1. Overeating. No matter how much has been written and said about the benefits of a balanced diet, few people follow the number of calories. In addition, many people are accustomed to eating everything that is on the plate, even if you no longer feel like it. And others are accustomed to constant snacking “in between times”. All this leads to the fact that when the time comes for the next meal, the body simply does not need additional calories, and the feeling of hunger does not wake up.

2. Poor quality food. This is another reason why there is no appetite. What to do in this case? Firstly, give up fast food, sandwiches, chips and other unhealthy “goodies”. The abuse of sweet, fatty and dry foods leads to the fact that the secretion of the digestive glands is disturbed, a phenomenon such as reflux occurs (food is thrown back into the higher sections of the gastrointestinal tract), and fermentation and decay processes begin in the intestines. As a result, there is a permanent background discomfort, due to which a person physically cannot experience the feeling of hunger.

3. Overwork and stress. Physical and emotional fatigue, worries, feelings of depression - all this beats the craving for food completely. Therefore, be sure to ensure that the loads in your daily routine reasonably alternate with rest, both active and passive.

4. Diseases of the digestive system. Peptic ulcer, gastritis, cholecystitis, enterocolitis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract lead to indigestion, which also leads to loss of appetite.

5. Pregnancy. In the first trimester, women often do not experience hunger due to toxicosis. And in recent months, the situation is very common when the uterus squeezes the stomach, reducing its volume. As a result, even after eating a small amount of food, a feeling of fullness arises, which creates the illusion of a lack of appetite.

As for serious diseases, then, of course, the lack of hunger can be a symptom of one of them. However, as a rule, severe illnesses bring with them a whole “bouquet” of unpleasant symptoms (general weakness, rapid unreasonable weight loss, and others). Therefore, do not worry ahead of time, it is better to analyze all other reasons again and think about what is the reason for your indifferent attitude to food.

So, you realized that you have no appetite lately. What to do? Official and traditional medicine offer several recommendations for those who wish to regain their normal appetite.

First, review your diet. Your diet should be complete so that the body receives all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs. It is best to eat homemade food, steamed or boiled dishes. Your menu must include fruits, vegetables, juices and dairy products. It is important to stop snacking and not overeat. It is not for nothing that doctors so insistently advise eating in small portions, but often (5-6 times a day).

There is another trick that will help you overcome the lack of appetite. "What to do?" - you ask? Everything is extremely simple. There is even a special concept in cooking - “aperitif”. In simple terms, this is an appetizer that is eaten before main courses to improve appetite. Ideal as an aperitif, a salad of fresh vegetables, a few tablespoons of a spicy snack or a slice of lemon is suitable.

Do not underestimate the role of spices as your assistants. They not only improve the aromatic and taste qualities of dishes, but are also very useful. Many of them help the digestive system digest food better, cleanse blood vessels and blood, break down bad cholesterol, and saturate the body with vitamins. For example, horseradish improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps in the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and liver, and bay leaf strengthens the immune system. Literally each of the spices known to us has its own beneficial properties that you can use for yourself.

Do not panic if you have lost your appetite. What to do in such situations, you already partially know. But, in addition to all of the above, the problem may lie in abnormal blood sugar levels and a lack of certain vitamins (in particular, vitamin C). Therefore, it will be useful to start drinking ascorbic acid. A tablet of this remedy must be taken 30-40 minutes before. before the meal.

Some people seeking to increase food cravings resort to the help of pharmacy bitters. They are sold without a prescription and act as irritants to the stomach receptors, thus increasing appetite.

There are also folk recipes that will help you if you have no appetite. What to do and how to take them? Here are the main tools that help to cope with the problem in most cases:

Pour a teaspoon of crushed bitter wormwood with a glass of boiling water. The infusion must be kept for half an hour before use, and then drink a tablespoon of medicine before meals (3 rubles / day).

We buy crushed dandelion roots. Pour two teaspoons of raw materials into a glass cold water and we insist for 8 hours. The remedy is taken four times a day, a quarter cup.

It is necessary to squeeze the juice from four carrots and a bunch of watercress, dilute the resulting liquid with clean water in a ratio of 1: 1. Take before a meal.

When should you see a doctor?

If, in addition to the lack of a natural feeling of hunger, you observe other disturbing symptoms (pain, weakness, nausea, weight loss), do not waste time trying to cope with the problem at home. It is better to undergo an examination as soon as possible and find out why the body failed, and then undergo the appropriate course of treatment.

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By a decrease in appetite, doctors understand a partial or complete refusal to eat. This happens for various reasons, including serious illnesses and, in the absence of qualified assistance, leads to serious consequences.

Table of contents: General information Causes of loss of appetite Accompanying symptoms Diagnosis What to do if appetite is lost - How to improve appetite for an adult - Traditional medicine to improve appetite

General information

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of hunger and appetite. Hunger is a reflex that manifests itself if the body does not receive food at a certain time. The mechanism of its development is as follows: the level of glucose in the blood decreases, after which a signal is sent to the centers of hunger. At this moment, a person may feel an increased secretion of saliva, an aggravation of the sense of smell, a pulling sensation "in the pit of the stomach." This area is a projection of the stomach, so it always lets a person know about the feeling of hunger.

note! When hunger appears, a person does not have a desire to eat only certain foods. He eats everything.

Appetite is a special manifestation of the feeling of hunger, in which individual favorite foods are selected. It is influenced by the time of day, emotional state, national identity of a person, religion, finally.

Decreased appetite refers to a state where a person does not want anything. There is a concept of a change in appetite when habitual taste needs are violated. Doctors also diagnose a complete lack of appetite, leading to anorexia.

Causes of loss of appetite

Decreased appetite is usually preceded by:

Intoxication of the body due to inflammation or poisoning. Due to the fact that at such moments he spends all his energy on removing toxins, digestion of food fades into the background.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by pain, discomfort.
Malfunctions of the organs of the endocrine system in diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance.
Oncology (cancer of the stomach, colon or blood).
Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis).
Depression, neurosis, neuropsychiatric disorders.
Side effects after taking pain medications - morphine, ephedrine.
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
Pregnancy.
Excess fatty foods in the diet.
Metabolic disorders due to malnutrition.
Adaptation of the body during physical exertion, to which it lends itself for the first time.
Little mobility and sedentary work.
Individual lactose intolerance, celiac disease.
Bad habits - smoking, alcohol, drugs.

Important! A dullness of appetite can also be caused by quite harmless habits, namely: the abuse of chocolate, coffee, and powerful energy drinks.

It should be noted that there are diseases in which a person also loses the desire to eat.

This is about:

Bronze disease, or Addison's disease, is an endocrine disease associated with dysfunction of the adrenal glands.
Still-Chaufer disease - juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Typhoid.
Dementia.
Gastroesophageal reflux - when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
Schizoaffective disorder.

Associated symptoms

There is an opinion that a good appetite is a sign of health. Due to the fact that during the day the feeling of hunger and appetite replace each other, a person saturates his body, while remaining at the same weight. This is a kind of balance that ensures normal life.

If this balance is disturbed for psychological or other reasons, the appetite may disappear. Along with it, the feeling of hunger sometimes disappears.

Note! The lack of desire to eat for several hours is not a reason for frustration. This happens when a person eats a too high-calorie meal at a previous meal. In other words, at such moments the body is provided with energy for a longer period of time.

The lack of hunger for 5 - 8 hours makes you think. By the time they expire, the level of glucose in the blood will certainly decrease, and the person will feel a breakdown, weakness. After saturation, the stomach, full of food, will stretch, the concentration of glucose will increase and a signal will go to the brain and the need to stop saturation.

Interestingly, scientists have found that a person subconsciously chooses those products that his body needs at a given time. Athletes prefer to eat salty foods after training to make up for the loss of salt due to sweating.

Diagnostics

In case of loss of appetite, you should consult a doctor. He will prescribe a complete examination of the body, including:

a clinical blood test, an analysis of sugar levels, hormones to exclude diabetes, hormonal failure, liver disease;
urinalysis to rule out inflammation of the kidneys;
chest x-ray to detect pneumonia, lung cancer;
HIV test;
Ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract;
pregnancy test.

What to do if you lose your appetite

If diseases that could cause a decrease in appetite are identified, therapy is prescribed to eliminate them. In parallel, doctors recommend adjusting the schedule and portioning of meals. In other words, they advise eating 5 - 6 times a day in small portions. The last meal should be 4 hours before bedtime. For one absorption of food, you need to spend about 30 minutes, chewing the pieces slowly.

Snacks should be avoided. Sweets should be replaced with fruits, sauces and marinades with spices, as they whet the appetite. For some patients, doctors prescribe vitamin B, zinc, which enhance the sense of smell. It is also important to observe the drinking regimen, especially when playing sports.

Note! Nausea during this period is removed with Promethazine and other similar drugs. To improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, hormone substitutes are prescribed. Dementia is treated with high-calorie nutrient mixtures, inflammation with antibiotics.

How to improve appetite

At the same time, he has food preferences, but no aversion to certain types of food. And servings that give a feeling of fullness weigh at least 300 grams. If at least one of these points is violated, it is considered that a person has reduced appetite.

Why did you lose your appetite

The most trivial reasons for lack of appetite are as follows.

Hot weather. At elevated air temperatures, there is often no appetite. The reasons are simple: when food is digested, heat is released, and the body thus tries to protect itself from overheating.

Insufficient fluid intake. Digestion of food and removal of waste products (products of the breakdown of nutrients) require a lot of fluid. If there is little fluid, the body may not be able to cope with the load, and intoxication will occur. Therefore, it is easier for the body to refuse food than to cope with such consequences.

Low physical activity. With low physical activity, a person expends little energy and does not require additional calories. Therefore, poor appetite in this case is an absolute norm.

Lack of fresh air. If you sit locked up all day and breathe in house fumes, hypoxia (or lack of oxygen) will inevitably occur. This pathological condition disrupts the normal course of all processes in the body, and the process of digestion is no exception. The result is a reduced or completely absent appetite.

Taking certain medications. Before you start taking any medicine, even prescribed by a doctor, you should definitely read the list of possible side effects. Decreased appetite is the most common side effect.

The initial stage of pregnancy. Usually, from the 6th week of pregnancy, various appetite disorders begin to appear, including its complete absence. This is normal unless accompanied by debilitating vomiting.

When all obvious reasons are ruled out

4 main reasons for lack of appetite

A good appetite has always been considered a sign of good health. The correct functioning of the mechanism responsible for satisfying the need for nutrients and getting pleasure from it indicates that the body functions without any special deviations. However, a person's appetite is a variable value. It depends on the food culture instilled since childhood, taste preferences (which can change more than once during life), weather, mood and many other factors. Therefore, a periodic decrease in appetite is the norm. A complete lack of interest in food, especially when it lasts long enough, can be a sign of serious health problems.

Body intoxication

Appetite is regulated by a special food center located in the brain. When toxins enter the body, the functioning of this structure is temporarily blocked, since the main work of all systems at that moment is aimed at trying to get rid of dangerous substances. Intoxication can be caused by:

food poisoning;
an overdose of nicotine or alcohol;
exposure to chemical compounds that are part of household chemicals, cosmetics or perfumes, as well as paint used in the manufacture of fabrics, and other harmful components contained in objects with which a person has frequent direct contact;
carbon monoxide poisoning;
the use of drugs;
acute infection (influenza, SARS, hepatitis, etc.).

As a rule, after removal from the body toxic substances appetite returns.

Diseases of the digestive system

Patients suffering from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract often experience unpleasant symptoms of dyspepsia: abdominal pain, belching, flatulence, nausea. In such cases, the disappearance of appetite is associated with a reflex fear of eating.

Of course, it is impossible for such patients not to eat at all: this will only aggravate the painful condition. The way out is a special diet that excludes spicy, salty, sour foods, fried and smoked foods, fast food and canned food. Food should be semi-liquid and have an enveloping effect (for example, mucous porridges and mashed potatoes are useful).

Hormonal disruptions

Hormonal fluctuations greatly affect appetite. This is especially noticeable during pregnancy, when serious changes in a woman's body can lead to very specific nutritional needs and a change in taste preferences.

Pathological abnormalities in the functioning of the endocrine glands usually cause a decrease in appetite. This process is characterized by gradualness: for example, with a decrease in the function of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), the desire to consume food decreases or disappears completely over a long period, in parallel with the general loss of body tone, the development of fatigue, the appearance of drowsiness, tearfulness and other signs of the disease.

Nervous disorders

Decreased appetite can also be explained by psychogenic causes. So, with depression, food ceases to give a person pleasure; often even the smell of food causes nausea. At the same time, patients complain of a feeling of fullness in the stomach, too rapid saturation. People who are severely depressed sometimes have to be force-fed.

Anorexia is one of the most common psycho-emotional disorders characterized by a lack of appetite. Young women who suffer from an inferiority complex and are dissatisfied with their body, the desire to lose weight at any cost leads first to following unreasonably strict diets, artificially emptying the stomach of ingested food, and then to absolute rejection of any food. This is the most severe neuropsychiatric disorder, the treatment of which should be handled by specialists; often it requires hospitalization.

In all cases of prolonged lack of interest in food, a doctor should be consulted. If no pathologies are found in a person, but a persistent decrease in appetite threatens his health, the desire to eat can be increased through moderate sports (for example, swimming), walking. In some situations, it helps to take decoctions and tinctures of medicinal herbs: wormwood, centaury, calamus, mint, high elecampane, three-leaf watch, fenugreek, barberry. Medicinal teas made from the leaves of strawberries, black currants and raspberries are also useful.

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Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, specialty "Medicine".

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A good appetite has always been considered a sign of health and normal functioning of the body. The feeling of hunger is a natural phenomenon that signals that a person needs to “recharge” and restore the spent energy. Accordingly, a lack of interest in food may indicate a number of diseases or malfunctions in the internal organs. What does the lack of appetite in adults mean, and in what cases should you see a doctor?

No appetite: causes in an adult

What is a healthy appetite?

The signal that the body needs to replenish its reserves of proteins, carbohydrates and other substances is formed in the brain. Through the neural endings, it is transmitted to the digestive organs, as a result of which the secretion of gastric juice is activated, the level of insulin in the blood rises, and the person feels hunger.

The mechanisms of our appetite

Lack of appetite indicates failures in this process - these can be diseases of the digestive tract, hormonal disorders, oncology, and much more.

Causes of loss of appetite may be caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

The reasons for the loss of interest in food are divided into pathological, that is, those that are the result of malfunctions in the body, and non-pathological - they do not pose a threat to health and do not require medical intervention.

Non-pathological causes of loss of appetite

Non-pathological causes can be distinguished from health-threatening conditions by a number of features. In this case, there is no appetite for 3-5 days (maximum a week), after which the body's work returns to normal on its own. Such episodes recur no more than once a month, do not cause serious weight loss, and are not accompanied by nausea, weakness, fever, or other symptoms. Such reasons include the impact on the body of external factors and some changes in its work, which can be corrected without medical intervention.

Accommodations. Lack of appetite can be observed in certain conditions - for example, in very hot weather or a sharp change in climatic zones.

In hot weather, most people lose their appetite.

Chronic fatigue and lack of appetite

Loss of appetite due to stress

Eating disorders

In pregnant women, lack of appetite can be caused by toxicosis

A decrease in appetite is often observed in older people, which can also be considered a variant of the norm - in adulthood, the metabolic and digestive processes in the body slow down.

Pathological causes of lack of appetite

The reasons for the loss of interest in food, which are associated with various diseases, pose a serious health hazard. Vitamins, trace elements and nutrients cease to enter the body, which over time can lead to general exhaustion and even death. These include:

infectious diseases and exacerbations of chronic ailments;
disruption of the endocrine system (especially those associated with pancreatic dysfunction);
diseases of the digestive tract;

In this case, loss of appetite is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain, etc. With the development of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, since such a condition threatens with serious consequences.

Of particular concern should be cases when a person feels sick from one type of food, or he begins to experience an aversion to once-favorite foods (for example, meat dishes) - this phenomenon often accompanies cancer.

If you feel sick from food, you need to seriously think about the state of health

What to do with loss of appetite?

If the lack of appetite is not accompanied by additional symptoms, you can try to restore it by following simple rules. If you are disgusted with food, you should not force the body - it is better to eat when you want, in small portions, but at the same time it is advisable to streamline your meal and eat at about the same time. Dishes should be tasty, healthy and beautifully presented - so that interest in food wakes up only from one kind.

Decorate dishes with fresh herbs

In addition, with a decrease in appetite, you should drink as much water as possible to prevent dehydration, walk more often in the fresh air, engage in physical activity and have a good rest. It is recommended to use vitamin complexes, especially those that contain vitamin B12 and ascorbic acid.

Vitamins of group B and PP

Vitamins C, E, D, K

What should the menu for loss of appetite in adults consist of? The key rule is that the diet should be balanced, contain all the trace elements and nutrients necessary for health. In addition, there are a number of products that increase appetite - first of all, these are spices, spices, spicy and salty dishes, as well as marinades. True, it is categorically not recommended to abuse them - in large quantities, such food can cause digestive disorders, gastritis and even an ulcer.

Spices improve appetite, but do not abuse them

You should also not eat a lot of fatty and heavy foods - after eating, there should be a feeling of fullness, and not heaviness and overflow of the stomach.

Do not abuse foods that are heavy on the stomach

Before eating, you can drink a gram of dry red wine or other light alcohol with a bitter aftertaste - aperitifs in reasonable quantities contribute to a good appetite.

Weak alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, the purpose of which is to slightly quench thirst and stimulate appetite. They serve snacks.

Classic Venetian aperitif

Foods that improve appetite include:

black radish juice - take a tablespoon for several days, washed down with a spoonful of clean water;

The rule of such treatment is as follows: from potent means (horseradish, mustard, onion, radish) you need to choose one, and it should be used no more than 20 days in a row.

Medications to increase appetite

Medicines that increase appetite should be used only in extreme cases after consulting a doctor. Each of them has a number of contraindications and side effects, and if used incorrectly and dosage can cause serious harm to the body.

With neuroses and psycho-emotional disorders associated with loss of appetite, patients are recommended to take antidepressants and sedatives in combination with psychotherapy and other treatment methods. The most common drugs include Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine, Cipramil, Paxil, but their appointment and dosage calculation should be done by a doctor.

Video - "Elkar"

How to improve appetite folk remedies?

To increase appetite, you can use folk remedies that are no less effective than medications, but do not harm the body.

Coriander. The fruits and seeds of the plant contain essential oils that have an antispasmodic and antiseptic effect, and also have a beneficial effect on digestion. They can be added as a seasoning to dishes, or as a medicine. Steam a tablespoon of raw materials with a glass of boiling water, insist under the lid for 10 minutes, then strain and drink half a glass 2-3 times after meals.

Any means to improve appetite can be used only in cases where the underlying cause of the disease is known - without appropriate therapy, loss of appetite will become chronic, and the condition of the body can worsen significantly.

Video - What to do if there is no appetite

Decrease or lack of appetite (anorexia): causes and treatment

What is appetite

Appetite is an emotional expression of a person's preference for food of a certain quality (desire for a certain food). Appetite is subjectively different from hunger. The occurrence of hunger is based on the body's general need for nutrients and is usually experienced as an unpleasant condition.

Causes of loss or lack of appetite

Appetite arises from a nutritional need associated with ideas about future food intake, and includes pleasant emotional sensations that usually accompany the intake of a particular food. Appetite is formed as a result of excitation of certain parts of the central nervous system (including the hunger center in the hypothalamus) and is accompanied by conditioned reflex salivation and secretion of digestive juices, increased peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby preparing the digestive organs for eating.

Appetite is associated with the physiological needs of the body, as, for example, in the case of cravings for salty foods after the body has lost significant amounts of salt. But such a connection is by no means always traced; appetite often reflects an innate or acquired individual propensity for certain foods.

Thus, preference, as well as aversion (often very persistent) to certain other types of food, is determined by the availability of a given variant in a particular region and is modified by special features of an individual culture, usually rooted in religion, although later, perhaps rationalized. In light of this, the “appetiteness” of a dish, the main elements of which include smell, taste, texture, temperature, method of preparation and serving, strongly depends on our affective (emotional) attitude towards it.

Under the influence of strong external stimuli, for example, a particularly tempting and abundant choice of dishes, almost everyone eats more from time to time, this is required to replenish their energy reserves. This means that the biological mechanisms for regulating food intake are overcome. Overeating, in principle, is compensated by the subsequent restriction of nutrition, however, in modern society, not everyone resorts to restriction. Decreased appetite may be due to overwork, nervous situation at work and at home.

Pronounced selectivity of appetite is often observed in women during pregnancy, in patients. Changes in appetite can accompany various diseases. It should also be noted the important place of nutrition in behavioral disorders. They can be accompanied by both excessive food intake and refusal of it. A striking example is anorexia nervosa, a form of abstinence from food most common in girls during adolescence; this disturbance of the development of the psyche can be so profound that it leads to death from exhaustion.

Anorexia

The term "anorexia" means lack of appetite in the presence of a physiological need for nutrition. This is a common symptom of a disorder in the gastrointestinal tract or endocrine system. It is also characteristic of severe mental disorders.

Possible causes of anorexia

This symptom is seen with anxiety, chronic pain, poor oral hygiene, increased body temperature due to heat or fever, and changes in taste that often accompany growing up or aging.

Anorexia can be a consequence of certain medications or their abuse. Short-term anorexia practically does not threaten the patient's health. However, with prolonged anorexia, the body's resistance decreases and its susceptibility to various diseases increases. Chronic anorexia can result in life-threatening exhaustion.

In young children, anorexia develops more often with force-feeding, violation of the rules of complementary feeding.

Disorders in the endocrine system

Adenocortical hypofunction. In this disorder, anorexia develops slowly and sluggishly, causing gradual weight loss.
Hypopituitarism (insufficient function of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus). In this case, anorexia also develops slowly. Associated symptoms vary depending on the degree of the disease, as well as the number and type of missing hormones.
Myxedema. Anorexia is usually a sign of a lack of thyroid hormones.
Ketoacidosis. Anorexia develops, as a rule, slowly, accompanied by inflammation and dryness of the skin, fruity breath, low blood pressure, increased heart rate, abdominal pain and nausea.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Appendicitis. Anorexia is accompanied by general or local abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
Cirrhosis of the liver. Anorexia develops in the early stages and may be accompanied by weakness, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and dull pain in the abdomen. Anorexia continues after the onset of these early signs, which are complemented by drowsiness, slow speech, severe itching, bleeding, dry skin, liver enlargement, jaundice, swelling of the legs, and pain in the right hypochondrium. Chronic anorexia in Crohn's disease leads to significant weight loss.
Gastritis. In the case of acute gastritis, anorexia develops suddenly, and in chronic gastritis - gradually.
Hepatitis. In viral hepatitis, anorexia develops at the initial stage of the disease and is accompanied by fatigue, malaise, headache, pain in the joints and throat, photophobia, cough, rhinitis, nausea and vomiting, enlargement of the liver. Anorexia can also occur later, leading to weight loss with dark urine, jaundice, pain in the right hypochondrium, and possibly irritability and severe itching. In non-viral hepatitis, anorexia and its accompanying symptoms are the same as in viral hepatitis, but may vary depending on the cause of the hepatitis and the degree of liver damage.

Diseases of the genitourinary system

Chronic renal failure. Usually accompanied by chronic anorexia and, very importantly, changes in all body functions.

Other diseases

Pernicious anemia. In this disease, comorbid anorexia can lead to significant weight loss.
Crayfish. Chronic anorexia is observed along with possible weight loss, weakness, apathy and general exhaustion.

Mental disorders

Alcoholism. Usually accompanied by chronic anorexia, eventually leading to exhaustion.
Anorexia neurosis. Gradually developing chronic anorexia leads to life-threatening malnutrition, skeletal muscle atrophy, loss of adipose tissue, constipation, amenorrhea, dry skin, sleep disturbances, changes in appearance, shortness of breath and decreased sexual desire. Paradoxically, at the same time, a person retains increased excitability and tone, and is actively engaged in physical exercises.
depressive syndrome. In this case, anorexia is observed along with shortness of breath, inability to concentrate, indecision, delirium, insomnia, frequent mood swings and gradual social degradation.

Medications and procedures

Anorexia develops as a result of the use of amphetamine, as in principle, and other psychostimulants, including caffeine. Chemotherapy drugs, sympathomimetics (eg ephedrine) and some antibiotics. Anorexia can also indicate intoxication (poisoning caused by the action on the body of toxic substances that have entered it from the outside or formed in the body itself). Anorexia can be caused by radiation therapy, possibly due to a metabolic disorder. An increase in blood glucose as a result of intravenous infusion of solutions can also lead to anorexia.

Treatment of anorexia

With a sharp weight loss, inpatient treatment is necessary, since there is a real threat to life from exhaustion and severe metabolic and endocrine disorders. It is necessary to prescribe a fractional 6-7 meals a day in small portions under the supervision of staff, the introduction of a variety of dishes into the diet, in infants - the normalization of complementary feeding.

Vitamins, small doses of insulin and drugs are prescribed to increase appetite. In severe depletion, multivitamins and hormones are indicated. With the neurotic nature of anorexia, tranquilizers, small doses of antipsychotics, explanatory psychotherapy about the dangers of fasting, the consequences of the disease with a reorientation of values, and in some cases hypnosis are indicated.

For the treatment of anorexic syndrome in schizophrenia, neuroleptics are of great importance. Drugs and their dosages are selected individually, taking into account the tolerability and severity of the condition. In special cases, artificial nutrition is used with the introduction of nutrient solutions into a vein.

Anorexia nervosa

A special place is occupied by neuropsychic anorexia. This is a pathological condition that manifests itself in the conscious restriction of food in order to lose weight. It occurs in adolescents 15 years of age and older, more often in girls. There is an obsessive idea of excessive fullness and the need to lose weight.

To achieve this goal, patients limit themselves to food up to a complete refusal of food, use intense physical exercises, walking or running long distances, take large doses of laxatives and diuretics. If it is impossible to endure prolonged fasting, patients eat, even overeat, but cause artificial vomiting.

At first, the appetite is not disturbed, at times there is a feeling of hunger, and in connection with this, periodic overeating. Weight falls quickly, mental disorders appear; mood swings from “bad to good” (from extreme to extreme), an obsessive desire to look at oneself in a mirror, etc.

Anorexia nervosa is very closely related to another pathology - dysmorphomania (this disorder is deeper, of a psychotic level, when a painful conviction in the presence of an imaginary physical defect becomes overvalued or delusional, that is, it cannot be corrected and is accompanied by a lack of criticism from the patient). Painful conviction in excessive fullness leads patients to the idea of getting rid of this deficiency.

This belief can arise on real grounds, that is, in the presence of a certain excess weight, as a rule, psychogenic (offensive remarks addressed to the patient - “fat as a barrel”, “fat”, “you need to eat less”, etc.). In other cases, fullness is imaginary, and the thought of losing weight is overvalued or delusional, and the condition itself is the initial stage in the development of schizophrenia.

At first, patients very carefully hide from their parents both the motives of their behavior and the methods of losing weight. They try to feed their portion of food to the dog, hide the food, and then throw it away, discreetly transfer the food to other people's plates. They try to stick to the most low-calorie diets. Even having achieved significant weight loss, they are not satisfied with this.

Persistently continue to lose weight using other methods (enemas, laxatives, exhausting physical activity). After 1.5-2 years, the diseases lose from 20 to 50% of their previous body weight and look extremely emaciated. The most typical manifestation of anorexia nervosa is amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), manifesting either immediately or after a period of scanty infrequent menstruation. Such patients, at the insistence of their parents, turn to gynecologists, not knowing the true cause of menstrual irregularities.

Only proper nutrition and weight gain up to a certain critical mass (usually kg) will help get rid of this. For such patients, the desire to overfeed other family members is typical: mother, younger brothers and sisters. They take great pleasure in watching others eat and gain weight (like a recovered alcoholic enjoys getting others drunk and watching them get drunk).

Decreased Appetite in Adults: Possible Causes and Diagnosis

General information

note! When hunger appears, a person does not have a desire to eat only certain foods. He eats everything.

Appetite is a special manifestation of the feeling of hunger, in which individual favorite foods are selected. It is influenced by the time of day, emotional state, national identity of a person, religion, finally.

Decreased appetite refers to a state where a person does not want anything. There is a concept of a change in appetite when habitual taste needs are violated. Doctors also diagnose a complete lack of appetite, leading to anorexia.

Causes of loss of appetite

Decreased appetite is usually preceded by:

Intoxication of the body due to inflammation or poisoning. Due to the fact that at such moments he spends all his energy on removing toxins, digestion of food fades into the background.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by pain, discomfort.
Malfunctions of the organs of the endocrine system in diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance.
Oncology (cancer of the stomach, colon or blood).
Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis).
Depression, neurosis, neuropsychiatric disorders.
Side effects after taking pain medications - morphine, ephedrine.
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
Pregnancy.
Excess fatty foods in the diet.
Metabolic disorders due to malnutrition.
Adaptation of the body during physical exertion, to which it lends itself for the first time.
Little mobility and sedentary work.
Individual lactose intolerance, celiac disease.
Bad habits - smoking, alcohol, drugs.

Important! A dullness of appetite can also be caused by quite harmless habits, namely: the abuse of chocolate, coffee, and powerful energy drinks.

It should be noted that there are diseases in which a person also loses the desire to eat.

Bronze disease, or Addison's disease, is an endocrine disease associated with dysfunction of the adrenal glands.
Still-Chaufer disease - juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Typhoid.
Dementia.
Gastroesophageal reflux - when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
Schizoaffective disorder.

Associated symptoms

If this balance is disturbed for psychological or other reasons, the appetite may disappear. Along with it, the feeling of hunger sometimes disappears.

Diagnostics

In case of loss of appetite, you should consult a doctor. He will prescribe a complete examination of the body, including:

What to do if you lose your appetite

If diseases that could cause a decrease in appetite are identified, therapy is prescribed to eliminate them. In parallel, doctors recommend adjusting the schedule and portioning of meals. In other words, they advise eating 5 - 6 times a day in small portions. The last meal should be 4 hours before bedtime. For one absorption of food, you need to spend about 30 minutes, chewing the pieces slowly.

Snacks should be avoided. Sweets should be replaced with fruits, sauces and marinades with spices, as they whet the appetite. For some patients, doctors prescribe vitamin B, zinc, which enhance the sense of smell. It is also important to observe the drinking regimen, especially when playing sports.

Food is a source of energy for our body and at the same time a way to get pleasure. In modern society, people are faced with the problem of overeating. But what to do if the opposite is true - you don’t feel like eating at all?

The desire to eat is a physiological mechanism that, under the conditions of normal functioning of the body, works about three times a day. If the feeling of hunger occurs less frequently or does not appear at all, this requires a detailed analysis. First of all, it is necessary to analyze the reasons that influenced the change in appetite. It can be:

In addition, the monthly cycle can also affect the lack of hunger.

Fell in love: lost appetite

Who is not familiar with the situation when, having fallen in love, we completely forget about everything in the world, including food. Falling in love bears some resemblance to a nervous disorder. The biochemical processes that provoke falling in love cause the production of the hormone dopamine. It causes constant surges of energy, inspiration and strength. The production of a large amount of adrenaline leads to shaky knees, sleep disturbances and increased heart rate, and also causes poor appetite.

Lost appetite due to stress

The modern world dictates a frantic pace of life, when it is common for adults to do absolutely everything: make a career, start a family and look good at the same time. “Stressorexia” is a type of eating disorder when the body, exhausted by stress, declares a “hunger strike”. This disease is a combination of depression and anorexia. Most often, those suffering from such a disease are women aged 20-40 who cannot or do not want to reduce the volume of their own loads.
If you think that this is a good way to control your weight, then this is not so, since a long stay in this state is fraught with serious consequences.

Lost appetite after antibiotics

In the case of taking medications, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the possible side effects. Abrupt loss of appetite can be triggered by medications. Also, similar symptoms are observed after surgery. In addition, if you notice a lack of hunger, as well as nausea after taking a course of antibiotics, this may be triggered by a violation of the natural intestinal microflora.

Lost appetite: what to do

To return a good appetite will help, first of all, walks in the fresh air, as well as moderate physical activity. Have a good effect to excite the lost appetite different kind decoctions and infusions from medicinal plants, such as wormwood, mint, yarrow, calamus root, spring dandelion. Citrus juice and black radish also have a similar effect. Please note that morning is the most important time for eating.

However, most often the return of the lost appetite is possible only after the elimination of the causes that caused its disappearance. For this, it is necessary to consult a doctor, since most conditions that cause the disappearance of hunger require medical assistance. This is especially true for those who are faced with prolonged starvation, which led to changes in the body: dysfunction of the endocrine system, inflammation of the stomach, liver, pancreas. Timely consultation and treatment by specialists, such as an endocrinologist, psychotherapist, gastroenterologist, will ensure a full recovery and restore lost appetite.

At the same time, you should not panic if you do not feel hunger for several hours: perhaps the previous meal was too satisfying or you simply did not have time to use up the energy received due to lack of physical activity.

food poisoning;
an overdose of nicotine or alcohol;
exposure to chemical compounds that are part of household chemicals, cosmetics or perfumes, as well as paint used in the manufacture of fabrics, and other harmful components contained in objects with which a person has frequent direct contact;
carbon monoxide poisoning;
the use of drugs;
acute infection (influenza, SARS, hepatitis, etc.).

As a rule, after the removal of toxic substances from the body, the appetite returns.

Source: depositphotos.com

Patients suffering from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract often experience unpleasant symptoms of dyspepsia: abdominal pain, belching, flatulence, nausea. In such cases, the disappearance of appetite is associated with a reflex fear of eating.

Source: depositphotos.com

Usually, women who lose weight desperately dream that they lose their appetite. However, when this actually happens, even they begin to seriously fear for their health. The feeling of hunger can be dulled for completely different reasons.

If, in addition to this symptom, you experience a sharp weight loss, you should urgently consult a doctor, especially if you do not follow and have not followed any weight loss diets.

The cause of this clinical manifestation should be clarified as soon as possible. This condition should not be regarded as something normal and transient. Indeed, in some cases, this can be caused by some minor disturbance, such as weather sensitivity.

However, you should investigate in detail and find out if everything is as harmless as it seems at first glance. Remember that loss of appetite, especially if prolonged, should never be ignored.

So, what are the reasons if you lost your appetite?

Causes of loss of appetite

The feeling of hunger is a physiological reaction of the body to a lack of nutrients. When the body feels an acute shortage of them, a signal is sent to the brain about the need to replenish nutritional resources. This often occurs against the background of an elementary decrease in the level of glucose and other substances valuable for the life of the body in the blood. It is at this moment that a person wants to eat, and not selectively, but in general.

If there is a craving for a certain product without an objective feeling of hunger, this is already a psychological problem, and not a biochemical reaction of the body.

What to do if you lost your appetite? First of all, you need to determine - is it really completely gone, or do you just not want to eat what you are offered at the moment?

Loss of appetite is different:

The dulling of the feeling of hunger as such (even under the condition of an objectively old meal, when a person himself realizes that it would not hurt him to eat, but, roughly speaking, he "does not go down the throat");
Complete lack of appetite for a long time (anorexia);
Sudden change in taste preferences (for example, disgust or dislike for a particular food group).

By the way, the last symptom is also quite alarming. For example, an aversion to meat food in meat-eaters often indicates the presence of tumors in the body, and in the vast majority of cases, malignant ones. However, such drastic changes can also occur against the background, for example, of poisoning. Quite often, a person who once poisoned himself with mushrooms does not perceive them as an attractive product later. The same can be applied to other categories of food.

Objective reasons for the suppression of hunger in humans

Appetite naturally decreases when a person is sick. This applies to viral and infectious diseases, internal inflammation, intoxication. At the same time, appetite disappears and sometimes nausea. This process is connected with the natural reaction of the body to foreign microorganisms, toxins and decay products.

The body spends all its forces on their elimination or neutralization, and therefore it simply does not want to spend energy resources on digesting food and does not send appropriate impulses to the brain.

For the same reason, during an illness, a person feels tired without the slightest physical effort.

If you are sick with SARS or acute respiratory infections, and appetite suppression has befallen you, there is nothing to worry about, and you can regard this as a natural defensive reaction of your body. The same goes for food or chemical poisoning, even minor ones.

In addition, the reason, if hunger is dulled, may be hidden in the following factors:

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in which appetite naturally decreases against the background of pain or discomfort;
Disorders of the endocrine system (disorders of the thyroid gland, hypothalamus and adrenal cortex);
Violations of metabolic processes in the body (most often associated with oncological processes);
Neuropsychiatric disorders, including neurotic and depressive states, psychoses, etc.

If appetite is lost during neurosis, this should also be regarded as normal, since all the functions of the nervous system suffer in this case. The feeling of hunger is dulled, and sometimes the innervation, especially of the limbs. Impulses are not emitted and are not projected in the normal mode - all processes in the body become inhibited.

True, this does not mean that it is not necessary to treat neurosis. You should contact a competent and experienced professional for help with your problem. Remember that the nervous system controls almost every process in our body, which means that its neglected disorders can provoke serious diseases and syndromes that are very difficult to cure.

Specific pathological causes

If we talk about specific diseases that provoke the suppression of hunger, the most common among them are diseases from the list:

Bronze disease (Addison's disease);
Rheumatoid arthritis;
Chronic polyarthritis;
Gastroesophageal reflux;
Depression;
stressful conditions;
dementia (dementia);
Affective disorders, in particular, seasonal;
Schizophrenia and schizophrenic personality disorders;
Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
Anorexia.

People prone to hypochondriacal and neurotic disorders tend to immediately look for cancer and other pathologies of this kind. In fact, such behavior may indicate the presence of a neurosis rather than an actual pathology of a malignant nature.

It should be remembered that neurotic disorders can lead to serious pathologies of an internal nature, so they also cannot be written off in terms of potential health hazards.

Appetite disorders during pregnancy

Many women are interested in the question of what to do if the appetite disappears during pregnancy. In fact, it may also be due to physiological factors. For example, in the early stages of gestation, many women suffer from toxicosis.

Constant nausea simply cannot but affect appetite - who wants to eat when there is only a desire to empty the stomach? Toxicosis is also a natural reaction of the immune system to the invasion of a foreign body into the body (this is what your body considers the fetus to be).

With toxicosis, hunger is almost always dulled. And toxicosis itself can last quite a long time, although in some lucky women it is completely absent. I must say that this condition in the later stages should be regarded as relatively dangerous. In addition to the usual nausea, an increase in blood pressure and protein concentration in the urine (which leads to edema) can be added.

Preeclampsia, as late toxicosis is called, requires constant monitoring by an obstetrician-gynecologist in charge of pregnancy. Otherwise, this condition can lead to premature birth, placental abruption, stillbirth and intrauterine death of the fetus. In especially severe cases, the violation can threaten the life of the mother.

In addition to toxicosis, dulling the feeling of hunger in the first trimesters of pregnancy can be triggered by a deficiency of folic acid in a woman's body. In this case, you should urgently begin to replenish its resources, since it is vital in the process of bearing a child. This can be done by correcting the diet, as well as using multivitamin complexes. However, the second in without fail should be prescribed by a doctor - amateur performance is inappropriate here. It is also important to make sure that this is the cause of the violation.