Loss of appetite

The Loss of appetite, anorexia, or Inappetence, which derives from the Latin for "desire", are technical terms for an abnormal person appetite. The extreme form of the Loss of appetite is anorexia nervosa, which can be considered an independent mental illness.

What is loss of appetite?

Loss of appetite can have many reasons. The most common causes are an upset stomach, stress and psychosomatic stress.

Loss of appetite is usually not linked to a serious illness, but if it lasts for a long time or is psychologically caused, it can quickly develop into a serious illness, the so-called anorexia nervosa or anorexia. This pathological loss of appetite is an eating disorder, which is characterized by the fact that the patient (less often the patient) refuses to maintain a healthy body weight due to a disturbed self-image and has an obsessive fear of weight gain.

This is based on a cognitive misconception about one's own body, nutrition in general, and food in particular. This form of loss of appetite usually has a number of concomitant diseases such as B. Depression or personality disorders and is one of the psychiatric disorders with the highest mortality rate.

While the stereotyping persists that anorexia in the form of anorexia affects only young women in Western cultures, it is scientifically proven that the disease can affect both women and men, of all ages, races, and socio-economic or cultural groups. Loss of appetite is not genetic.

Signs & Symptoms

A person with anorexia will experience a wide variety of symptoms. These can vary in their type and severity and burden the person affected to different degrees. Anorexia nervose and the associated malnutrition or malnutrition can cause serious complications in the human organ system and is primarily reflected in the following ways:

• faster and more obvious dramatic weight loss

• compulsive preoccupation with the calorie and fat content of food

• Diet madness despite slim or even underweight appearance

• Scarring on the pressing of the hand due to repeated contact with the teeth during the permanent inducing of the nausea

• swollen cheeks from frequent vomiting

• Ulcers on the extremities due to susceptibility to cold and wet conditions (chilblains)

• Skin damage (acne)

• excessive exercise or physical activity

• depressed, sad mood

• Rituals like infinite chopping of food

• Avoidance of family, friends and acquaintances (social withdrawal) due to loss of appetite at meals together

causes

With loss of appetite, the normal human appetite for food or hungry cravings for food is greatly reduced. If food intake is severely restricted over a longer period of time, physical damage occurs, which can lead to death through starvation.

Usually the loss of appetite occurs with other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as with many other infectious diseases. But also psychological influences, such as the death of a family member, can greatly reduce the appetite. Loss of appetite is less common in tumors.

The causes of pathological loss of appetite can also be of a physical nature, but can also be found in the social environment. Complications before and during birth can be the reason for this, a genetic predisposition or neurological dysregulation or circulatory disorders in the brain, autoimmune diseases or nutritional deficits such as zinc deficiency can be the cause of anorexia nervosa (anorexia).

Sociocultural studies have also shown, however, that other factors can trigger such a loss of appetite, such as the ideal of slimness propagated by the media, professional images such as models and dancers, or developmental and behavioral disorders with autistic traits.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medicines against loss of appetite

Diseases with this symptom

• flu
• abdominal influenza
• hepatitis
• Colon cancer
• Duodenal ulcer

• Gastric ulcer
• Stomach cancer
• Gastric mucosal inflammation (gastritis)
• Irritable stomach
• Crohn's disease

• Intestinal inflammation_ (enteritis)
• Peritonitis
• Ovarian cancer
• Sarcoid (Boeck's disease)
• Hand, foot and mouth disease

Complications

Closely related to the symptom of loss of appetite is primarily the complication of weight loss. If there is no feeling of hunger, there is no natural incentive to eat. If he eats anyway, this is based on "rituals" and social customs. In the case of some diseases that are associated with loss of appetite, such "rituals" and customs are no longer implemented.

This is especially the case with the mental illnesses that lead to loss of appetite. Especially then, the loss of weight can sometimes be rapid due to the loss of appetite. This weight loss follows from not eating. The complication of weight loss should be taken seriously as it can have harmful effects on health. Weight loss occurs when the energy intake is less than the energy requirement. From this it follows logically that the body is weakened.

The necessary energy must be "fetched" from the body's reserves. For this purpose, muscle and fat mass are reduced. If this happens to a large extent, this situation weakens the body quite strongly. It is therefore important, despite the loss of appetite, to eat enough to meet the body's energy needs and thus prevent weight loss. If there is a lack of food, what is known as starvation metabolism occurs after a while. Overall, a doctor should be consulted in any case in the event of prolonged loss of appetite.

When should you go to the doctor?

Loss of appetite requires a doctor's clarification if the symptoms persist for a long time and there are unwanted weight loss or other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or fatigue and weakness.

If the lack of appetite persists for several days or weeks, there may be a serious physical or psychological cause such as a tumor or a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, an anxiety disorder or depression - a doctor's visit is recommended if the symptoms are in one Do not decrease the period of one week and instead increase over time and lead to further problems.

In children and the elderly, loss of appetite is a natural phenomenon that needs to be clarified by a doctor if it is accompanied by a decreased heartbeat, dehydration or general weakness and persists for several days without improvement in symptoms.

In general: due to the many different causes that loss of appetite can have and the direct effects on well-being and performance that malnutrition brings with it, an early visit to the doctor is almost always advisable. People who have suffered from anorexia or a general reluctance to eat in the past should consult a gastroenterologist. It is also advisable for people with pre-existing conditions of the heart or the immune system to have the symptoms clarified quickly.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

Morbid loss of appetite is diagnosed by an experienced specialist who first has to rule out other serious diseases such as infections, hormonal disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, tumors or a whole range of other psychiatric disorders that could cause the same or similar symptoms. A whole arsenal of diagnostic criteria is available for this. The differentiation from other forms of eating disorders (such as bulimia) must also be ensured.

The therapy of anorexia nervosa depends on the individual condition and the severity of the illness and aims at three main areas: the restoration of a healthy minimum weight, the treatment of the underlying or accompanying psychiatric disorder as well as the elimination of obsessive thoughts that originally led to the disturbed eating behavior had or repeatedly trigger the maintenance of loss of appetite.

A medical nutritional therapy with food supplements with zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and other micronutrients as well as an education for responsible handling of one's own body forms the basis. The active ingredient olanzapine, an atypical neuroleptic, has proven itself medically to increase the body mass index and reduce obsessive-compulsive thoughts. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluvoxamine is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder. Another pillar of therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy, which is evidence-based and promises good results in the case of anorexia.

The prognosis for anorexia nervosa (anorexia) is good and, if treated, is not chronic. The average duration of a period is just under two years. Up to 90 percent of the sick people subside completely, the relapse rate for mentally caused loss of appetite is 30 percent.

Outlook & forecast

Loss of appetite does not necessarily have to be treated by a doctor and in many cases it is temporary. It does not last very long and often disappears on its own. The loss of appetite is usually related to another event, such as stress or other psychological distress.

As a result of the loss of appetite, the body always suffers weight loss. This is often not very noticeable for the person concerned, but is perceived by outsiders.

There are some remedies for the loss of appetite that can be prescribed by the doctor. However, these should only be taken when there is no other way to eat enough.

Not infrequently, the loss of appetite also leads to anorexia and thus to a very poor physical and psychological state. In such cases a doctor must be consulted. Here, not only treatment with medication, but also therapy with a psychiatrist is necessary.

Often, however, the loss of appetite is related to temporary stressful situations and disappears again when the trigger disappears. In most people, the loss of appetite takes a positive course and goes away on its own.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medicines against loss of appetite

prevention

As a prophylactic, the individual can do something against the threat of loss of appetite: it is important to keep fixed meals and not to constantly eat something “in passing”, but to look forward to the mealtime. Fast food should be avoided. It is important to appreciate every meal, to take the time to freshly prepare varied dishes and to eat slowly. It can also stimulate the appetite to go shopping with friends, then cook together and celebrate the meal extensively. Long walks and lots of exercise in nature and in the fresh air also help.

You can do that yourself

Loss of appetite can often be dealt with with home remedies and simple measures. First of all, it is advisable to increase the calorie requirement through exercise or physical work. Healthy snacks, but also mustard, help to stimulate the appetite and digestion between meals. Raw vegetables or pickled cucumbers, as well as gentian, also stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and, thanks to the vitamins they contain, guarantee a longer-lasting feeling of satiety. Spices such as ginger or cinnamon are also considered to stimulate the appetite and should be taken with meals, similar to hops or coriander tea.

If you don't have an appetite due to a nervous stomach, you can get the digestive juices flowing with a tea made from yarrow or chamomile. In addition, general measures help: a change in eating behavior, regular and smaller meals, and avoidance of stress and physical overexertion. In addition, alcohol, cigarettes and other, often appetite-reducing stimulants should be avoided until normal appetite is restored.

Other measures, such as changing or stopping medication, should be discussed with your family doctor or a nutritionist beforehand. A visit to the doctor is recommended if the loss of appetite persists despite the measures mentioned.

Home remedies & herbs for loss of appetite

other home remedies ↵ against appetite
lack

• An aniseed infusion helps with loss of appetite and poor appetite and flatulence.

• Angelica tea helps with loss of appetite and catarrhs ​​or upper respiratory tract.

• Gentian helps with loss of appetite, indigestion and stomach ailments.

• If you lose your appetite, drink a tea made from caraway seeds and yarrow.