Effects of Rapid Weight Loss

What is Rapid Weight Loss?

Rapid Weight Loss is nothing but sudden weight loss that occurs either due to medical conditions such as a gastro-intestinal disease, a dysfunctional thyroid, diabetes or due to certain medications. Sudden weight loss can also be achieved by lowering one's calorie intake by going on a diet.

However unlike other forms of weight loss achieved by dieting and exercise, rapid weight loss is often temporary and leads to harmful effects. Following is a list of the effects of rapid weight loss,

• Muscle Loss

Rapid weight loss is often accompanied with loss of muscle, as with this kind of sudden weight loss the body slips into 'ketosis', a state in which the body begins to burn muscle for energy! Plus with fat not being an effective energy source, the body tends to preserve it as an energy source, using it only as the last option. This leads to more muscle being burned for energy generation purpose by the body, leading to muscle loss.

• Slowed down or Decreased Metabolism

When faced with a sudden weight loss, the body tends to go into 'preservation' mode, where it focuses more on the preservation of its energy sources. This results in a sluggish or slowed down metabolism that burns fewer calories and less fat, forcing the body to burn muscle for energy generation.

However one must keep in mind that with Rapid weight loss, the decreased metabolism results in instant weight gain when one resumes their normal eating habits.

• Loose Skin

Even though our skin is elastic, it needs time to adapt to the changes in our body. But with rapid weight loss, the skin does not get the needed time to adjust to the sudden shrinking of the various body parts, a result of which is sagging skin. Loose skin due to sudden weight loss is mostly visible around the abdomen and in the arms and thighs of the individual.

• Hair Loss

Hair Loss is a common occurrence when it comes to rapid weight loss caused by dieting. As most diets aiming for a considerable weight loss advise either a liquid diet or a low calorie diet, both of which lack proteins.

Hair needs protein for its growth and upkeep. In case of a rapid weight loss, where even the metabolism is decreased, protein absorption from the food consumed is low. With lack of protein in the body, the hair becomes brittle and eventually breaks.

Amazing article from Medimanage