Hidden Causes of Rapid Weight Gain

A cursory cause and effect analysis of weight gain may lead one to believe that it is the result of unregulated and unhealthy eating habits and\or the lack of fitness exercises. However, nothing could be far from reality than this analysis. The causes of rapid weight gain at times are unexplained and hidden. In fact, weight gain may be signaling a larger problem that you have so far ignored.


The Big Picture

a) Hypothyroidism: The deficiency of thyroid hormone results in reduced metabolic rate. As a result fat gets accumulated leading to rapid weight gain.

Symptoms: fatigue, swelling of face, headache, coarse skin intolerance to cold and poor memory.

b) Essential fatty acid deficiency: To prevent putting on weight we may develop a fear of eating fats. We may swap dairy products and butter for vegetable oils and margarine. In doing so, we replace good fats that are needed by our body to maintain its metabolism system leading to weight gain.

Symptoms: dandruff, diabetes, eczema, arthritis.

c) Cushing’s Syndrome: It is a disorder caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol. It results in fat accumulation on the face, abdomen and upper back, while the arms and legs remain slender.

d) Emotional eating: During stress or depression the levels of hormone cortisol rise. This stimulates one’s craving for food especially fatty food leading to weight gain.

e) Food sensitivity: Reaction to food may result in swelling or bloating of arms, feet, face and abdomen. It is a result of fluid retention caused by inflammation and release of certain hormones.

f) Tired toxic liver: Liver has a triple role in carbohydrate metabolism. It neutralizes toxins and eliminates them through lungs, kidneys, skin etc by transforming them into water soluble chemicals. This function puts great stress on liver and a damaged liver can cause weight gain.

Apart from the above mentioned reasons some other causes for rapid weight gain can be prescription drugs, blood sugar imbalance, onset of diabetes, alcohol consumption, kidney and heart disease and monthly cycle or pregnancy in women.

Therefore, before jumping to any weight loss program , it is advisable to first consult a specialist , understand what is causing the rapid weight gain and then move to finding a solution for it.