Unexplained Weight Gain? Here Are Some Common Health Culprits Behind It

NutritionFebruary 23, 2023

You’ve been, not religiously but still, working out, eating healthily, and chugging water like there’s no tomorrow, which are useful for losing weight.

But still, every now and then, you notice that numbers on the scale keep creeping up. The unintentional weight gain is frustrating; it simply is hard to understand what to do about it.

So, what gives? There are times when there are far serious health problems that cause this, which is why it is best to talk to your doctor if you notice a dramatic change for no apparent reason.

Hypothyroidism

Most experts would check a woman’s thyroid first once she comes to the doctor’s office complaining about unintended weight gain.

According to the Office On Women’s Health, one in eight develops a thyroid disorder, which explains why most physicians primarily see the gland first before anything else.

The organ is found in the neck, which you might find confusing. How can it affect your weight?

That’s because the butterfly-shaped gland releases the hormone that’s in charge of your metabolism.

Hypothyroidism is the condition where your thyroid is underactive, which means the organ doesn’t release or make enough hormone – in short, this slows down your metabolism.

Other signs that you are suffering from this are hair loss, constipation, dry skin, and fatigue.

Depression or Anxiety

We all know that stress is a chronic problem that’s almost impossible to avoid. Whenever you are extremely stressed, your body greatly suffers, too – you automatically enter the fight-or-flight mode, there’s a rush of adrenaline, and cortisol jolts up.

The release of this hormone will make you feel hungry, which explains why most people who are stressed tend to eat more.

Sometimes, however, if the pressure and stress get too much to handle, we spiral down to depression and anxiety.

If you have been feeling exhausted despite little to no activities, finding it difficult to get a decent shut-eye at night, feeling uninterested on the things you used to love, and feeling down, it may be high time to have a conversation with your doctor.

PCOS

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Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disorder wherein women’s bodies produce more male hormones than the normal. This results in interrupted menstrual cycles, facial hairs, and migraines.

Interestingly, this problem is more common than you thought: one in five suffers from this issue.

It also messes up the way you use insulin, the hormone responsible for turning sugar into energy, which translates to weight gain.

Insomnia

Have you ever noticed that whenever you don’t get the right amount of sleep, you end up munching everything for the rest of the day?

That’s because there’s an increase in your ghrelin, the hormone that’s responsible for signaling to your body that it’s time to eat.

Meanwhile, this instance reduces your leptin levels, the hormone which tells your body that you’re full.

New Meds

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There are many prescription medicines that can aid in weight gain. According to Medical Offices of Manhattan’s Dr. Rocio Salas-Whales, antidepressants, mostly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have an impact on appetite.