What does it mean to lose your appetite? What to do if you lose your appetite. Decreased appetite in adults: possible causes and diagnosis

Sometimes it happens that appetite disappears, and the sight of food provokes disgust and nausea. Such symptoms are a signal that the body needs help. Lack of appetite and nausea can be caused by overeating or chronic fatigue, as well as serious illnesses gastrointestinal tract. Such manifestations can also occur on nervous soil. It is important to understand what caused the pathology and how to eliminate it.

Causes of symptoms

Through food, the body is saturated with energy, protective functions are strengthened, new cells are produced, enzymes and hormones are formed.

Normal appetite is a signal from the body about the need to replenish nutrients. When hunger occurs, the concentration of glucose decreases, and if appetite does not appear, a nutritional imbalance occurs and a deficiency of elements occurs.

When there is a deficiency of vital substances: proteins, microelements, vitamins, the functioning of the human body is disrupted.

Decreased appetite and nausea indicate a delay in the absorption of nutrients. If symptoms do not disappear within 24 hours, you should consult a general practitioner, who, if necessary, will refer you to a gastroenterologist.

If lack of appetite and nausea accompany a person for a long time, this may be a signal of anorexia. Without treatment, this disease is fraught with muscle atrophy and disruption of the entire body.

Non-pathological

Conventionally, the causes are divided into two broad groups: pathological and non-pathological.

If the manifestations last no more than four days, go away on their own, occur rarely, and are not accompanied by sudden weight loss, vomiting, changes in stool, or loss of consciousness, this indicates non-pathological causes:

1. Chronic fatigue. A busy work schedule, insufficient sleep, rest - all this is accompanied by a loss of strength and fatigue. Lack of proper rest affects the central nervous system and brain. It gives the wrong commands to the body, resulting in loss of appetite, malaise, and nausea.
2. Prolonged fasting. Constant struggle With overweight, eating food in minimal quantities, cutting back on the diet, and refusing to eat animal products can trigger the appearance of the disorder. When food does not enter the stomach for a long time, the accumulated bile irritates the mucous membrane, which leads to a feeling of nausea. Refusal to eat is accompanied by decreased performance and weakness.
3. Binge eating. It often happens that during the day there is no opportunity to eat, and in the evening it is quite difficult to keep hunger under control. A late, hearty meal leads to a deterioration in well-being. Nausea may be accompanied by vomiting, headache, general malaise.
4. Pre and post menstrual syndrome, menstruation. Sharp changes in the level of female hormones provoke malaise.

In addition, appetite may disappear, and nausea may appear due to:

• stress;
• violations of the regime;
• unbalanced diet;
• overwork;
• inappropriate use of medications;
• smoking, alcohol abuse.

Pathological

Sometimes a set of symptoms signals serious malfunctions in the body. A doctor can identify the exact cause, conduct an examination and prescribe treatment. If nausea and loss of appetite due to non-pathological reasons go away on their own after adjusting the lifestyle, diet or proper rest, then it is not so easy to get rid of the malaise that appears as a result of the disease. You will need medical attention and comprehensive treatment.

Nausea and lack of appetite can provoke:

1. Diseases of an infectious or viral nature. Usually, when you are sick, you don’t feel like eating. With the active production of leukocyte cells, the body directs its forces precisely to this process, so that a person quickly gets rid of unpleasant symptoms. Decreasing appetite is a justified measure. Due to the excessive concentration of toxic substances, malaise and nausea appear, which can only be eliminated by maintaining a normal water balance.
2. Chemotherapy of cancer. Because of similar treatment failures occur in all systems, including the gastrointestinal tract. Appetite worsens, fatigue, malaise, nausea, and vomiting appear.
3. Pathologies of cardio-vascular system. People suffering from hypertension often experience similar symptoms.
4. Intoxication. Active reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms often causes nausea and loss of appetite.
5. Mental disorders, depression. Such conditions are characterized by indifference to everything, malaise, and loss of appetite.
6. Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastroduodenitis.
7. Dysbacteriosis. The pathology is characterized by an imbalance of microflora involved in digestion. Slow food processing and deterioration in well-being are caused by limited supply of nutrients.
8. Diseases endocrine system. Due to insufficient production of hormones, deterioration of health and malaise may occur.
9. Diabetes. When the disease occurs, metabolic processes and glucose absorption are disrupted. This may cause nausea and loss of appetite.
10. Neurosis. Mental disorders characterized by excessive irritability, loss of appetite, nausea, malaise.
11. Anorexia. Serious mental illness, life-threatening. Prolonged refusal to eat leads to disgust and nausea.

Do not delay treatment of the disease. The treatment regimen, course duration, and medications are selected by the doctor depending on the disease, its severity, and the patient’s age.

When to see a doctor

People rarely seek help from a doctor when their health worsens. Many people prefer to get rid of the disorder on their own.

It’s one thing if the malaise occurs due to overeating and the condition quickly normalizes without medication. It’s another matter when the pathology is caused by disturbances in the functioning of the body. IN in this case You can’t do without the help of a doctor and treatment.

Situations requiring specialist help:

1. When pathological condition does not go away within five or more days;
2. if nausea increases after waking up, vomiting;
3. if additional symptoms appear: pain in the area chest, back, presyncope, loss of consciousness;
4. when vomiting blood.

What to do if you have no appetite

Treatment of the pathology will vary depending on the cause. If you feel unwell due to lack of sleep or fatigue, it is enough to rest to normalize your well-being. If unpleasant condition caused by a disease, you need to see a doctor and undergo treatment.

Let's look at how you can normalize your appetite and get rid of nausea on your own.

1. During pregnancy, adjustments to your diet should be made. Don't overeat, eat more food plant origin, exclude fatty, smoked, spicy foods.
2. Stop the medication, replace it with an analogue if you feel that you are starting to feel sick after taking it.
3. If the cause of the illness is a viral or infectious disease, in addition to taking prescribed medications, it is necessary to maintain fluid balance and drink more.
4. Chamomile, nettle infusion, and cranberry juice will improve the condition of PMS.
5. Taking Pancreazim, Mezim, Pancreatin will help in eliminating the ailment.

Eliminates nausea and normalizes appetite by:

• refusal of semi-finished products, fast food;
• eating small portions, often;
• drink at least 2.5 liters of water, still mineral water per day;
• cessation of smoking and alcoholic beverages.

Diet correction

• citrus fruits;
• apples;
• Korean carrots;
• pickled vegetables;
• ginger;
• salty cheeses;
• fresh tomatoes;
• sauerkraut.

Appetite is a physiological process that occurs in healthy person three times a day. During normal functioning of the body, you should experience a feeling of hunger regularly in the morning, lunch and evening, but if you have, you need to look for reasons inside the body.

It is thanks to the fact that we experience hunger that we develop an appetite, thanks to which we can saturate our body with the necessary nutrients.

There are two types of appetite:

• Specialized? the body needs certain foods, as it needs to be satiated specifically with proteins, carbohydrates or fats.
• General? the body requires any food.

A long-term lack of appetite can negatively affect your health, since if you are losing weight or are sick, your body will not receive the necessary microelements and nutrients.

Common Causes of Loss of Appetite

• Heat. A completely common and understandable phenomenon. In summer, the body uses energy more slowly, so you want to eat much less often. If you notice a loss of appetite, you can safely wait until the first cold weather begins.
• Movement deficiency. In this case, you should not worry, but increase your daily physical activity. Paradoxically, a person needs to constantly be on the move to control his health.
• Stress and overload. We spend our time in the daily pursuit of time, which we sorely lack. This is especially true for women who need to have time to feed their family, go to work, take care of children and household chores, and also not forget about taking care of themselves. As a result, the world revolves around us, and we are in it, like squirrels in a wheel. Often, we simply don’t have time to eat or simply don’t even want to anymore. Refusing lunch or dinner, over time we will notice that there is actually no appetite. This is the first sign of a disease called stressorexia. 20–40 years is the age of women in whom this disease most often occurs. And the reasons are very simple: your body is tired, it needs rest, but instead it is overwhelmed with constant work. As a result, appetite disappears. “Stressorexia” is a complex of stress, depression and anorexia. If you take care of your appearance and notice the first signs of this disease in yourself, do not rejoice prematurely. Refusing to eat will not help you look slim and young. As a rule, the result can be a complex of chronic diseases. So best advice in this case, relax more often and enjoy life.
• Consequences of using the medicine. Everyone knows that you need to carefully read the instructions and side effects from the use of medicine. If you notice loss of appetite when you start taking any medication, consult your doctor. He will tell you what can be done in this case: replace the medicine, shorten the period of use, etc.
• Gastrointestinal tract disorder. This is not such a rare occurrence these days. After all, you will agree that you often, instead of a full lunch, are content with quick snacks in the form of a bun or a sandwich. If your stomach stops, immediately go on a diet. Instead of snacks, eat soups, vegetables, and fish. And even if you have no appetite in the morning, you need to stimulate and activate your stomach, for example, by eating cottage cheese.
• Pregnancy. It is worth remembering one more reason. In the first trimester, a pregnant woman may lose her appetite, especially during toxicosis, due to a lack of iron and folic acid. In this case, it is useful to eat buckwheat, salads, apples, cabbage.
• Diseases. It is unfortunate, but the consequence of many diseases can be a lack of appetite. For example, heart, kidney and liver diseases, infections, disease, cancer, as well as problems related to the thyroid gland.

Appetite is a mechanism aimed at regulating the food entering the body. It usually occurs against the background of hunger and intensifies when we see or smell food. So, in a person who has developed his own diet, by a certain hour they begin to secrete digestive juices- they prepare the digestive tract for work.

The feeling of hunger is a consequence of a physiological decrease in blood glucose levels - the centers of the brain are irritated, thereby stimulating a person to search for food. Hunger provokes a strong appetite. However, sometimes appetite can manifest itself as a response to an attractive appearance dish (and its aroma) or arise selectively as a reaction to certain type food - the one from which a person receives maximum pleasure (even if he is not hungry). Such behavior may be a sign of an external type of eating disorder (a person eats unconsciously - external stimuli become a trigger for eating. - Note ed.).

There are quite a few reasons why your appetite may disappear. For example, if we get sick viral infection and our temperature has risen, the body will have to spend strength and energy not on digesting food (after all, a rather energy-intensive process), but on fighting the infection. This is why a person often loses his appetite during the first days of illness - he may only want to drink and not want to eat at all. In addition, appetite may disappear with various chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine and nervous systems, oncological diseases, chronic infections, brain diseases and various mental problems.

As a rule, with age, appetite decreases - the number of taste buds and receptors that respond to smells decreases, appetite weakens and older people often begin to eat less, while receiving less pleasure from food.

Moreover, if a person is experiencing severe stress, his appetite may also disappear: all thoughts are aimed at solving some problem and the brain works hard to solve it - one focus of excitation in the brain temporarily blocks all other centers of excitation. Often in similar situation a person basically forgets about his own physiological needs, for example, the need to eat or sleep.

If a person is healthy and has already developed a certain diet, he may simply not experience strong appetite- he does not allow long intervals between meals and the feeling of hunger does not have time to fully develop. In this case, the saying " appetite comes with eating" fits perfectly. When it’s time for lunch or dinner, it’s enough for a person to see food or smell it for an appetite to appear (even if there was none before). Therefore, the main thing is to follow the regime and not skip meals. If, in principle, there is never any appetite, perhaps the reason is hidden in psychological and mental problems (for example, in) or in any other chronic disease.

If you don’t have an appetite, you can first try to get it back - beautiful serving, delicious dishes, walk and physical activity on fresh air before eating will only contribute to this. Plus, analyze your nutrition during the day: perhaps you are interrupting your appetite with too frequent or too high-calorie snacks and sugary drinks (this is also food). Perhaps you basically do not have any regime and you eat chaotically. In general, try to establish a regimen, and if this does not help, contact a therapist - he will prescribe the necessary examinations. Treatment will depend on what disease or condition the doctor suspects upon presentation. Yes, there is therapy that helps restore appetite, but most often it is carried out purposefully if a person is very exhausted. Usually this complex therapy, aimed at increasing appetite, and at correcting the body’s nutrition, and at solving psychological (or any other) problems that caused the development of anorexia.

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

Why did I lose my appetite?

The most trivial reasons for lack of appetite are the following.

Hot weather. At elevated temperatures, there is often a lack of 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. Digesting food and eliminating waste (nutrient breakdown products) requires a lot of fluid. If there is little fluid intake, 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 the absolute norm.

Lack of fresh air. If you sit cooped up all day and breathe 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 digestion process is no exception. The consequence is reduced or completely absent appetite.

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

Initial stage of pregnancy. Usually from the 6th week of pregnancy they begin to appear various disorders appetite, including its complete absence. This is normal if it is not accompanied by debilitating vomiting.

When all obvious reasons are excluded

4 main reasons for lack of appetite

A good appetite has always been considered a sign of good health. Proper work the mechanism responsible for satisfying the need for nutrients and obtaining pleasure from it indicates that the body functions without any special deviations. However, human appetite is a variable quantity. It depends on the food culture instilled in childhood, taste preferences(which may change more than once during life), weather, mood and many other factors. Therefore, periodic loss of appetite is normal. A complete lack of interest in food, especially when it lasts long enough, may be a sign serious problems with health.

Intoxication of the body

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;
• overdose of nicotine or alcohol;
• exposure to chemical compounds included in the composition household chemicals, cosmetics or perfumes, as well as dyes used in the production of fabrics, and other harmful components contained in objects with which a person has frequent direct contact;
• poisoning carbon monoxide;
• use of medications;
• acute infection (flu, ARVI, hepatitis, etc.).

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

Digestive diseases

Patients suffering from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract often experience unpleasant symptoms dyspepsia: abdominal pain, belching, flatulence, nausea. IN similar cases loss of appetite is associated with a reflexive fear of eating.

Of course, such patients should not eat at all: this will only aggravate painful condition. The way out is special diet, excluding 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, slimy porridges and purees are useful).

Hormonal imbalances

Oscillations hormonal levels greatly affect appetite. This is especially noticeable during pregnancy, when major changes in a woman's body can lead to very specific nutritional needs and changes in taste preferences.

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

Nervous disorders

Decreased appetite may also be due to psychogenic reasons. So, with depression, food stops giving 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 and too rapid saturation. People in serious trouble depressed state, sometimes you have to force feed.

One of the most common psycho-emotional disorders, characterized by a lack of appetite, is anorexia. For young women suffering from an inferiority complex and dissatisfied with their bodies, the desire to lose weight at any cost leads at first to following unjustifiably strict diets, artificial emptying of the stomach from absorbed food, and then to an absolute rejection of any food. This is the hardest neuropsychiatric disorder, the treatment of which should be carried out by specialists; it often requires hospitalization.

In all cases of prolonged lack of interest in food, you should consult your doctor. If no pathologies are detected in a person, but a persistent decrease in appetite threatens his health, the desire to eat can be increased through moderate exercise (for example, swimming) and walking. In some situations, taking decoctions and tinctures helps medicinal herbs: wormwood, centaury, calamus, mint, elecampane, trifoliate, fenugreek, barberry. Also useful medicinal teas from leaves of strawberries, black currants and raspberries.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

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

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

No appetite: reasons for an adult

What is a healthy appetite?

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

The mechanisms of our appetite

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

Causes of loss of appetite may be caused by gastrointestinal diseases

The reasons for 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 decreased appetite

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

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

In hot weather, most people have a decreased appetite

Chronic fatigue and lack of appetite

Lack of appetite due to stress

Dietary disorders

In pregnant women, lack of appetite may 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, metabolic and digestive processes in the body slow down.

Pathological causes of lack of appetite

The reasons for loss of interest in food, which are associated with various diseases, pose a serious health hazard. Vitamins, microelements and nutrients stop entering the body, which over time can lead to general exhaustion and even fatal outcome. These include:

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

In this case, loss of appetite is usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain, etc. If these symptoms develop, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, as this condition can have serious consequences.

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

If you feel sick from eating, you need to seriously think about your health

What to do if you lose your appetite?

If lack of appetite is not accompanied additional symptoms, you can try to restore it by following simple rules. If you have an aversion to food, you should not force your body - it is better to eat when you want, in small portions, but at the same time it is advisable to organize your food intake and eat at approximately the same time. Dishes should be tasty, healthy and beautifully presented - so that interest in food is awakened by just one look.

Garnish dishes with fresh herbs

In addition, if your appetite decreases, you should drink as much water as possible to prevent dehydration, walk in the fresh air more often, engage in physical activity and get proper rest. It is recommended to take vitamin complexes, especially those containing vitamin B12 and ascorbic acid.

Vitamins B and PP

Vitamins C, E, D, K

What should the menu consist of for loss of appetite in adults? The key rule is that the diet should be balanced and contain all the microelements and nutrients necessary for health. In addition, there are a number of products that help increase appetite - primarily herbs, spices, hot and salty foods, 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 ulcers.

Spices improve appetite, but you shouldn’t overuse them

You should also not eat a lot of fatty and heavy foods - after eating you should feel full, not heavy and full in the stomach.

Do not overindulge in foods that are difficult for 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.

Mild alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, the purpose of which is to slightly quench thirst and stimulate appetite. Snacks are served with them

Classic Venetian aperitif

Foods that help improve appetite include:

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

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

Medicines to increase appetite

TO medicines that help increase appetite should be used only when extreme cases after consultation with a doctor. Each of them has a number of contraindications and side effects, and if used incorrectly and in dosage, they can cause serious harm to the body.

For neuroses and psychoemotional 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 prescription and dosage calculation must be made by a doctor.

Video - “Elkar”

How to improve appetite using folk remedies?

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

1. Coriander. The fruits and seeds of the plant contain essential oils, which have antispasmodic and antiseptic effects, and also have a beneficial effect on digestive processes. They can be added as a seasoning to dishes, or to prepare medicine. Steam a tablespoon of raw material with a glass of boiling water, leave covered 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 body’s condition may worsen significantly.

Video - What to do if you have no appetite

Decreased 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 the feeling of hunger. The occurrence of hunger is based on general need the body in nutrients and is usually experienced as an unpleasant condition.

Causes of decreased or lack of appetite

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

Appetite has a connection with the physiological needs of the body, as, for example, in the case of a craving for salty food 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 tendency to certain foods.

Thus, preference, as well as aversion (often very persistent) to some other types of food, is determined by the availability of a given variant in a particular region and is modified special features individual culture, usually rooted in religion, although later perhaps rationalized. In light of this, the “appetizing” of a dish, the main elements of which include smell, taste, consistency, 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 plentiful choice of food, almost everyone from time to time eats more than they need to replenish their energy reserves. Means, biological mechanisms food consumption regulations are overcome. Overeating is, in principle, compensated for by subsequent dietary restriction, but in modern society Not everyone resorts to restrictions. Decreased appetite may be due to fatigue, nervous situation at work and at home.

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

Anorexia

The term "anorexia" means a 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 typical for severe mental disorders.

Possible causes of anorexia

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

Anorexia can result from taking or overusing certain medications. 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 children early age Anorexia develops more often with force feeding or violation of complementary feeding rules.

Endocrine system disorders

• Adenocortical hypofunction. In this disorder, anorexia develops slowly and sluggishly, causing gradual weight loss.
• Hypopituitarism (insufficiency of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus). In this case, anorexia also develops slowly. Associated symptoms vary depending on the severity of the disease and the number and type of hormones missing.
• Myxedema. Anorexia is usually a sign of a lack of thyroid hormones.
• Ketoacidosis. Anorexia usually develops slowly, accompanied by inflammation and dry skin, fruity breath, decreased 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, dull ache in a stomach. Anorexia continues beyond these early signs, which include drowsiness, slow speech, severe itching, bleeding, dry skin, enlarged liver, jaundice, leg swelling, and pain in the right upper quadrant. Chronic anorexia in Crohn's disease leads to significant weight loss.
• Gastritis. When acute gastritis anorexia develops suddenly, and when chronic gastritis- gradually.
• Hepatitis. With 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, and enlarged liver. Anorexia may also occur in subsequent stages, leading to weight loss accompanied by dark urine, jaundice, pain in the right hypochondrium, and possibly irritability and severe itching. With non-viral hepatitis, anorexia and its accompanying symptoms are the same as with viral hepatitis, but may vary depending on the cause of 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, concomitant anorexia can lead to significant weight loss.
• Cancer. Chronic anorexia is observed along with possible loss weight, weakness, apathy and general exhaustion.

Mental disorders

• Alcoholism. Usually accompanied by chronic anorexia, ultimately leading to exhaustion.
• Anorexia neurosis. Gradually developing chronic anorexia leads to life-threatening exhaustion and atrophy skeletal muscles, loss of fat tissue, constipation, amenorrhea, dry skin, sleep disturbances, changes in appearance, shortness of breath and decreased libido. Paradoxically, a person at the same time retains increased excitability and tone, actively engages in physical exercise.
• 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.

Medicines and procedures

Anorexia develops as a result of the use of amphetamine, as well as other psychostimulants, including caffeine. Chemotherapy drugs, sympathomimetics (for example, ephedrine) and some antibiotics. Anorexia may also indicate intoxication (poisoning caused by the effect 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 metabolic disturbances. An increase in blood glucose levels as a result of intravenous infusion of solutions can also lead to anorexia.

Treatment of anorexia

In case of sudden weight loss it is necessary hospital treatment, since it exists real threat life from exhaustion and severe metabolic and endocrine disorders. It is necessary to assign a fractional 6-7 one meal in small portions under the supervision of staff, introducing a variety of dishes into the diet, in children infancy- normalization of complementary feeding.

Prescribe vitamins, not large doses insulin and drugs to increase appetite. For severe exhaustion, multivitamins and hormones are indicated. For the neurotic nature of anorexia, tranquilizers, small doses of antipsychotics, educational 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 anorectic syndrome in schizophrenia, neuroleptics are of great importance. Drugs and their dosages are selected individually, taking into account tolerability and severity of the condition. IN special cases apply artificial nutrition with the introduction of nutrient solutions into a vein.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa occupies a special place. This is a pathological condition that manifests itself in the conscious restriction of food in order to lose weight. Occurs in adolescents 15 years of age and older, more often in girls. An obsessive idea of ​​being overweight and the need to lose weight appears.

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

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

Anorexia nervosa is very closely related to another pathology - dysmorphomania (this is a deeper disorder, of a psychotic level, when a painful conviction in the presence of an imaginary physical defect acquires an overvalued or delusional character, i.e., cannot be corrected and is accompanied by a lack of criticism from the patient). Painful belief in excessive completeness 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 overweight, as a rule, psychogenic (offensive remarks addressed to the patient - “thick as a barrel”, “fat”, “you need to eat less”, etc.). In other cases, completeness is imaginary, and the thought of losing weight is overvalued or delusional, and the condition itself is initial stage in the development of schizophrenia.

At first, patients very carefully hide from their parents both the motives of their behavior and their methods of losing weight. They try to feed their portion of food to the dog, hide the food and then throw it away, quietly transfer the food to other people’s plates. They try to stick to the lowest calorie diets. Even after achieving significant weight loss, they are not satisfied with it.

They stubbornly continue to lose weight using other methods (enemas, laxatives, exhausting physical activity). After 1.5-2 years, the disease loses from 20 to 50% of its previous body weight and looks extremely emaciated. The most typical manifestation of anorexia nervosa is amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), which occurs either immediately or after a period of scanty, infrequent menstruation. Such patients, at the insistence of their parents, turn to gynecologists, without knowing about the real reason menstrual irregularities.

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

Decreased appetite in adults: possible causes and diagnosis

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

General information

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of hunger and appetite. Hunger is a reflex that occurs 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 hunger centers. At this moment, a person may feel increased salivation, heightened sense of smell, pulling sensation"in the pit of the stomach" This area is a projection of the stomach, therefore it always makes a person aware of the feeling of hunger.

note! When hunger occurs, a person does not have the 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 affected by the time of day, emotional condition, nationality of a person, religion, finally.

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

Causes of decreased appetite

A decrease in 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 and discomfort.
• Malfunctions of the endocrine system organs when diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalance.
• Oncology (stomach, colon or blood cancer).
• Autoimmune diseases (scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis).
• Depression, neuroses, neuropsychic disorders.
• Side effects after taking painkillers medical supplies– morphine, ephedrine.
• Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
• Pregnancy.
• Excess fatty foods in the diet.
• Metabolic disorders due to poor nutrition.
• Adaptation of the body during physical activity to which it is subjected for the first time.
• Low mobility and sedentary work.
• Individual lactose intolerance, celiac disease.
• Bad habits – smoking, alcohol, drugs.

Important! Quite harmless habits can also cause a dulling of appetite, namely: 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 adrenal dysfunction.
• Still-Chauffer disease is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
• Typhoid fever.
• Dementia.
• Gastroesophageal reflux - when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
• Stomach and duodenal ulcers.
• Schizoaffective disorder.

Associated symptoms

There is an opinion that a good appetite- 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 functioning.

If this balance is disrupted for psychological or other reasons, appetite may disappear. Sometimes the feeling of hunger disappears along with it.

Note! Lack of desire to eat for several hours is not a reason for frustration. This happens when, during a previous meal, a person eats a dish that is too high in calories. In other words, at such moments the body is provided with energy for a longer period of time.

The absence of hunger for 5 - 8 hours makes you think. By the time they expire, the blood glucose level will probably decrease, and the person will feel a loss of strength and weakness. After satiation, the stomach full of food will stretch, the glucose concentration will increase and a signal will be sent to the brain to stop saturation.

It is interesting that scientists have established: a person subconsciously chooses those products that his body needs at a given time. Athletes prefer to eat salty foods after training to replenish salt loss due to sweat.

Diagnostics

If your appetite decreases, you should consult a doctor. He will appoint full examination body, including:

What to do if you lose your appetite

If diseases that could cause loss of appetite are identified, therapy is prescribed to eliminate them. At the same time, doctors recommend adjusting the schedule and portions of food intake. In other words, they advise eating 5 to 6 small meals a day. The last meal should be 4 hours before bedtime. You should spend about 30 minutes per meal, chewing the pieces slowly.

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

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

A complete lack of appetite is an alarm bell, signaling a malfunction in the body ( endocrine disorders, rheumatic diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, etc.) Let's try to figure out what the causes of poor appetite are, whether it is possible to quickly improve nutrition and restore health.

Why do I lose my appetite?

Decreased appetite or refusal to eat leads to an imbalance in food balance, a decrease in the content of nutrients and glucose in the blood, which is dangerous for the normal functioning of the body. The main functions of food - energy, bioregulatory, plastic, adaptive, protective, signal-motivational - ensure the vital activity of the body and constancy internal environment. Once in the body, food promotes the construction of new cells, participates in the formation of enzymes and hormones, and replenishes the body with proteins, minerals and vitamins.

If there is no appetite for a long time or any other disturbance in the habitual relationship with food appears, this is a signal that the person needs help. A psychotherapist, gastroenterologist, nutritionist, endocrinologist are specialists who will determine the causes of appetite disorders and help restore it.

Loss or decreased appetite in adults can have a number of causes:

• Intoxication of the body as a consequence of inflammatory processes and poisoning.

Occurs during ARVI, intestinal infections, hepatitis B and C, chronic renal failure. Intoxication is accompanied by rheumatic diseases in acute form(lupus erythematosus, polyarthritis, vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis), food poisoning, drugs, low-quality alcohol, carbon monoxide. A person has practically no appetite, weakness appears, as the body has difficulty digesting food. You cannot force feed a patient so as not to harm. It is useful to drink plenty of fluids, which will help get rid of toxins that have arisen as the body fights infection. To find out the cause of the malaise, it is recommended to undergo a detailed blood test and stool culture for intestinal pathogens.

• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Acute conditions.

Digestive disorders occur with gastritis, enteritis, colitis, peptic ulcer stomach, liver diseases. Accompanied by nausea, vomiting, heartburn, belching with bitterness, painful sensations in the esophagus and stomach. At the same time, a person is purely reflexively afraid to eat. Frequent recommended fractional meals(liquid porridges based on oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina, rice cereals, without salt and seasonings). This diet should be supplemented traditional treatment which the doctor will prescribe. It is important to undergo an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, fibrogastroscopy (for gastritis), and general analysis blood and liver tests. In order to exclude viral hepatitis, it is recommended to donate blood for hepatitis B and C.

• Disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.

Lead not only to loss of appetite, but also to rapid fatigue, constant drowsiness, lower blood pressure, slower speech. These symptoms appear long years. Pathologies of the thyroid gland are sometimes associated with improper functioning of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

It is necessary to be examined by an endocrinologist, donate blood for thyroid hormones T3, T4 and TSH. If there is a suspicion of malfunction of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, the doctor will prescribe computed tomography brain.

• Metabolic disorders due to cancer.

Malignant formations disrupt the metabolism in the body, therefore they are distorted taste sensations and loss of appetite. The person feels nauseous, weakness appears, and intolerance to meat and dairy products often occurs. If a malignant tumor is suspected, an oncologist prescribes examinations in accordance with the clinical manifestations and prescribes treatment based on the results.

• Diseases of the nervous system, psychological disorders (loss of appetite due to depression, neuroses, dementia).

Appetite can change both downward and upward. Loss of appetite due to nervousness is characterized by a lack of sensation of the taste of food. Sometimes the very mention of food or its smell triggers negative reaction up to nausea and vomiting. A person eats only to survive, since food itself does not bring pleasure, and even a small portion of food taken causes a feeling of fullness in the stomach.

Anorexia nervosa is one of the mental disorders and is common among young girls. The pathological desire to correct the “flaws” of the figure at any cost, even at normal weight, leads to a refusal to eat. Over time, a persistent aversion to food appears, muscles atrophy, and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system is disrupted. Patients refuse food for so long that it ceases to be absorbed by the body. A change in the psyche occurs, and the person is no longer able to get out of this state on his own. A psychotherapist will help, and in severe cases, inpatient treatment.

Loss of appetite during pregnancy, children and the elderly

If a child has lost his appetite, he does not receive enough vitamins, micro, and macroelements necessary for growth and development. Babies do not want to eat when their baby teeth are cutting in (from 3 months to 3 years), since this process is often accompanied by elevated temperature and pain. Infants and older children refuse food when they have stomatitis (rashes and sores on the oral mucosa), which causes pain.

Pregnant women may lose their appetite for a short period of time.

Pregnant women may lose their appetite for a short period of time. Foods that a woman loved before pregnancy often cause disgust at the beginning of pregnancy, morning or daytime nausea appears, which does not contribute to appetite.

Exist simple ways increase appetite:

• Eat less, but more often.

Fractional meals are better accepted by the body. It is recommended to eat small meals in 4-5 meals at the same time. A beautiful table setting will help whet your appetite.

• Fresh air, sports.

Walking in the fresh air and physical activity will give you a boost of energy and stimulate your appetite.

• Get rid of bad habits.

Deprived of the pleasure of nicotine and alcohol, the body will look for it in something else, and most often in food.

• Healing herbal infusions and products.

Infusion of wormwood, tea with mint, radish juice, onion, garlic, parsnip, chicory, calamus, black currant, plantain, all citrus fruits, green vegetables increase intestinal motility, strengthen the stomach, and increase appetite. A course of vitamins, minerals, ascorbic acid will strengthen the body and stimulate appetite.

• Increased drinking regime.

In case of poisoning or overeating, clean drinking water – best medicine. It flushes poisons and toxins from the body. Dehydration disrupts all vital processes at the cellular level.

• Treatment of the underlying disease.

For gastritis and other gastrointestinal pathologies, kidney diseases, and rheumatic diseases, you need to get qualified medical advice and treatment.

• One-day fasting and diet.

Helps improve appetite short-term fasting within 12 or 24 hours. The body will rest, get rid of the remains of undigested food, poisons and toxins. If you have gastritis, fasting is contraindicated.

Inclusion in the diet fermented milk products(kefir, yogurt) and fiber (microcrystalline cellulose, vegetables, fruits, bran) in large quantities restores the digestive system, normalizes intestinal microflora and stimulates appetite.

Conclusion

To increase the appetite of a child or adult, you need to promptly find out and eliminate the causes of disorders (cure diseases, change lifestyle, adjust diet). A healthy appetite will ensure wellness and mood for many years of life.