Symptoms
Unexplained weight loss
Definition
Causes
When to see a doctor
Causes
Unexplained weight loss has many causes, medical and nonmedical. Often, a combination of things results in a general decline in your health and a related weight loss. Sometimes a specific cause isn't found.
Usually, an unrecognized cancer will have other symptoms or abnormalities of laboratory tests, in addition to unexplained weight loss.
Potential causes of unexplained weight loss include:
- Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency)
- Amyloidosis (buildup of abnormal proteins in your organs)
- Cancer
- Celiac disease
- Changes in diet or appetite
- Changes in sense of smell
- Changes in sense of taste
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) exacerbation — worsening of symptoms
- Crohn's disease (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)
- Dementia
- Dental problems
- Depression (major depressive disorder)
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypercalcemia
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Medications
- Parkinson's disease
- Peptic ulcer
- Substance abuse (alcohol, cocaine, other)
- Tuberculosis
- Ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease)