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):

Cirrhosis Of The Liver
Pinworms
HIV/AIDS
Kidney Disease
Hyperparathyroidism
Leukemia
Atrophic Gastritis
Nephrotic Syndrome

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:

atrophic gastritis

recent onset vomiting

painful inguinal nodes

edema of the feet

being medication sensitive

long-term hypertension

abdominal pain reduced by eating

mild meal-induced pain

diffuse bone pain

nails that are mostly white

confirmed liver cirrhosis

chronic nausea

... and more than 80 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
Pinworms	94%	Confirm
Hyperparathyroidism	30%	Unlikely
Cirrhosis Of The Liver	25%	Unlikely
Leukemia	3%	Ruled out
HIV/AIDS	2%	Ruled out
Atrophic Gastritis	0%	Ruled out
Kidney Disease	0%	Ruled out
Nephrotic Syndrome	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

Atrophic Gastritis

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.

Environmental Illness / MCS

Fluoride Toxicity

Loss of appetite is an early sign of fluorosis.

Gastritis

Gluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease

Hepatitis

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

Hypoglycemia

Hunger is a symptom of hypoglycemia.

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.