What Could be Causing Weak Appetite?

What Causes Weak Appetite?

Weak appetite can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'troubling' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose weak appetite, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "weak appetite" as a symptom. Here are eight of many possibilities (more below):

Zinc Need
Stress
Gluten Sensitivity
HIV/AIDS
Ulcerative Colitis
Cirrhosis Of The Liver
Anorexia/Starvation Tendency
Hyperthyroidism

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

difficulty gaining weight

herpes type II

rapid pulse rate

very brittle hair

flatulence

very great unexplained weight gain

past calcium-based antacid use

occasional mucus in stools

high diastolic blood pressure

multiple swollen axillary nodes

offensive-smelling stool

brittle fingernails

... and more than 180 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of weak appetite:

Cause	Probability	Status
Zinc Need	90%	Confirm
HIV/AIDS	29%	Unlikely
Stress	14%	Unlikely
Cirrhosis Of The Liver	3%	Ruled out
Ulcerative Colitis	0%	Ruled out
Anorexia/Starvation Tendency	0%	Ruled out
Gluten Sensitivity	0%	Ruled out
Hyperthyroidism	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

In the Diet section of the questionnaire, The Analyst™ will ask the following question about strong or weak appetite:

How strong is your appetite (desire to eat) generally?

Possible responses:

→ Very weak - I eat infrequently and small amounts
→ Weak
→ Average / don't know
→ Strong
→ Very strong - I rarely miss an opportunity to eat

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate loss of appetite, weak appetite, normal appetite, strong appetite or very strong appetite, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Anorexia / Starvation Tendency

Cancer, General

Cirrhosis of the Liver

Congestive Heart Failure

Accumulation of fluid (due to congestive heart failure) in the liver and intestines may cause nausea, abdominal pain, and decreased appetite.

Crohn's Disease

Dehydration

While there is no direct link from dehydration to reduced appetite, water is vital for proper digestion. Dehydration impairs the digestive process, food remains in the stomach longer, so we feel full longer and don't feel like eating again so soon.

Depression

Diabetes Type I

Intense hunger is a sign of Diabetes I.

Fluoride Toxicity

Loss of appetite is an early sign of fluorosis.

Gastritis

Gluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease

HIV/AIDS

Hyperparathyroidism

In more severe cases there may be loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, confusion or impaired thinking and memory, and increased thirst and urination.

Hyperthyroidism

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

There are several mechanisms through which IBS can cause weak appetite:

Loss of appetite due to indigestion and subsequent acid reflux, which is common with IBS
Feeling overly full or bloated as a result of IBS
Feeling stressed or anxious because of IBS: the release of adrenaline puts the body into 'fight or flight' mode and redirects resources away from the digestive system
The abdominal pain that often results from IBS can cause loss of appetite

Kidney Disease

Loss of appetite is a possible symptom of kidney disease.

Leukemia

Loss of appetite and weight loss can occur with AML, CLL or CML.

Low Adrenal Function / Adrenal Insufficiency

Magnesium Toxicity

Mercury Toxicity (Amalgam Illness)

Nephrotic Syndrome

As nephrotic syndrome progresses, appetite is greatly decreased.

Phosphorus Deficiency

Pinworm Infection

A heavy pinworm infection can cause loss of appetite.