Caution In case of unwanted weight loss urgent medical examination is required

Sudden, unwanted weight loss possible indication of serious illness
Many people would be pleased about the reduction of some extra pounds, but a sudden weight loss - without adhering to a diet - can also point to a serious illness, warns the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS). A doctor's visit is strongly advised.

"Anyone who loses more than ten percent of their weight within six months without a diet should contact their family doctor or a gastroenterologist," says the DGVS. Because in about one third of cases, the weight loss goes along with diseases of the digestive tract, such as an infection, an intolerance or a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, the medical examination is also important for the prevention of deficiency symptoms. The weight loss should therefore be taken seriously according to the experts as a warning signal.

Sudden unwanted weight loss should urgently be clarified by a doctor, as serious illnesses can be behind the symptoms. (Image: underdogstudios / fotolia.com)

Various causes of a sudden weight loss
Unwanted weight loss is often an indication of gastrointestinal disease, but other serious causes can trigger weight loss. "Of course, weight loss may also be due to non-gastroenterological diseases, such as depression or dental prosthesis problems," says Professor Dr. med. Georg Lamprecht, chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the University Hospital Rostock, in the press release of the DGVS. If, in addition to the weight loss symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation determine, however, according to the expert most problems in the digestive tract are the trigger.

Diseases in the digestive tract
If the body can not sufficiently dissociate or absorb the nutrients, physicians speak of a "malassimilation syndrome", the cause of which can be a whole range of partly frequent but also sometimes rare diseases, explains Prof. Lamprecht. This should be best clarified by a gastroenterologist, since the symptoms are often unspecific and the diagnosis is often a challenge. For example, abdominal pain and diarrhea may indicate, among other things, celiac disease (gluten intolerance), chronic inflammatory bowel disease Crohn's disease or inflammation of the colon, a "microscopic colitis". In addition, diseases of the pancreas or consequences of abdominal surgery, which may well have been a long time ago, as causes to be considered.

Diagnosing unwanted weight loss often difficult
According to the expert, in order to facilitate the diagnosis, it is helpful for patients to be able to describe their complaints as precisely as possible. Questions about the temporal occurrence of pain or a connection with food intake provide important information here. Also, doctors will ask if the chair is particularly watery or if diarrhea and constipation alternate. Further, laboratory tests of blood, urine and stool as well as imaging procedures are possible diagnostic tools. If necessary, tissue from the stomach or intestine can also be taken and examined for pathological changes, explains Prof. Lamprecht.

Early countermeasures required
The expert further emphasizes that in addition to the more common clinical pictures, also more rare diseases should be considered. For example, even decades after radiation treatment, damage to the intestinal tissue could occur in the form of a so-called radiation enteritis. "The first step is to identify the problem, to seek medical help and to prevent impending deficiencies in good time," stresses Professor Lamprecht. Because according to the expert, digestive diseases not only lead to weight loss, but also the body can not absorb enough minerals, vitamins and trace elements, making the patient feel tired and not very powerful. "The faster we can counteract, the better," says Prof. Lamprecht. (Fp)