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The World Health Organization data shows that in 2016 more than 39% of men and 40% of women, 18 years and older, were overweight. This means that of 1.9 billion people, over 650 million were obese. People don’t always take on excess weight from eating sweets and lack of exercise. Sometimes the reasons are hidden inside our body.
Bright Side has figured out which disorders cause excess weight and found out when you should turn to a doctor and when it’s just time to go to the gym.
7. Hypothyroidism
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The better the thyroid works, the better your metabolism is. A lack of thyroid hormones slows down our metabolism. A slow metabolism can be a result of hypothyroidism. At first, hypothyroidism may be confused with exhaustion because sometimes we consider drowsiness, fatigue, and reduced work capacity an indicator that we are overexerting ourselves. But we have to be careful. Does your skin get dry? Do your nails and hair get fragile? Do you experience anemia, nausea, and constipation? It’s probably hypothyroidism: your metabolism worsens, your intestines start working slower, and you gain weight. If you’ve noticed these symptoms, it’s recommended that you visit a doctor since diet and exercise won’t help here.
6. Prolactinoma
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The hormone prolactin is responsible for normal reproductive functions and, in mothers, for lactation. It’s also responsible for delivering essential nutrients, in necessary amounts, to a baby. When hypophysis produces too much prolactin, benign tumors may appear (more often in women than in men.) The main features are: pathological secretion of milk that isn’t connected with giving birth and irregular periods in women. Men experience low libido, mental disorders, eye issues, and headaches. Both sexes suffer from gaining fat in the chest and shoulders. This disease can be cured. So you shouldn’t waste time and go see an endocrinologist.
5. Type II diabetes mellitus
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In the case of type II diabetes, unlike type I, our pancreas produces enough insulin but our receptors don’t respond to it and they become insulin tolerant. As a result, the excess amount of this accumulated hormone causes obesity. The main danger is that this disease may be invisible for a long period of time and can be found only during a blood test. Normal diabetes features like excessive thirst or excessive urination may not occur. But if you also experience itching, this could be a reason to worry.
4. Insulinoma
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Insulinoma decreases the level of sugar in the blood drastically and that’s when hypoglycemia occurs. Hypoglycemia contributes to intense hunger as our body is trying to replenish its level of glucose. If a person doesn’t eat when the hypoglycemia occurs, they could experience shivers, tachycardia, speech and behavior issues, or even fainting. A hypoglycemic attack is a really unpleasant phenomenon, so the body is on constant high alert for signs of hunger and as a result, a person gains weight. If you have these problems, it’s time to see a doctor.
3. Stress and depression
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What is cortisol and why do we need it? Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. It controls carbohydrate metabolism and is involved in the stress response. Its aim is to save the body’s energy during stressful situations. Chronic stress causes constant cortisol and adrenaline production. In this case, cortisol converts our energy into fat and saves it. Do you experience fatigue, insomnia, or apathy? You’re probably approaching depression and it’s not just about being in a bad mood, it’s a serious disease that only an expert is able to treat.
2. Cushing’s disease
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Stress and depression can also cause another serious and rare disease. 10-15 out of every one million people suffer from Cushing’s disease. In this case, our body stores fats around the belly and the back of the neck. Meanwhile, our arms and legs stay skinny. It’s really easy to identify the symptoms: a person experiences increased blood pressure, high cholesterol, insomnia, and their appetite remains excellent.
1. Polycystic ovary syndrome
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When excess weight occurs together with irregular periods and migraines, a person probably suffers from polycystosis. In this case, the upper body gains weight and gets “heavy.” Additionally, unwanted hair starts growing, skin problems occur, and the voice gets deeper. The reason is a lack of sex hormones. Egg cells don’t develop properly and remain attached to the ovaries. One out of every 5 women suffers from this unpleasant disease. Nevertheless, the illness is curable.
The singular symptoms described in this article don’t indicate that you suffer from a serious disease. But if you notice several symptoms at once, you should take measures and see a doctor.
Do you take care of your health? How often do you visit doctors?
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