Last Updated 3 years ago
Weight loss is usually good news for our body. But how fast should that be? Below, you will discover what is considered rapid weight loss and some of the possible dangers it entails.
So, you are losing weight – either purposefully or unintentionally? Well, even if you consider it to be a good thing, which it probably is, how rapidly you are losing weight is important. In fact, rapid weight loss can do your body a disservice or be an indicator of serious health problems.
But what is considered ‘rapid’ when it comes to weight loss?
The internet is awash with conflicting information.
This article will make some sense out of the confusion and help you discern when weight loss happens too fast, and what could that mean for your health and physical condition.
The Human Body and Weight Fluctuations
There is no doubt that the human body is an amazing piece of engineering, with the ability to monitor itself and constantly make changes accordingly.
Driven by the process of homeostasis, our bodies do their best to remain stable so that the body’s functions operate relatively consistently. In other words – the body establishes a “norm” and tries to maintain it.
The same applies to our weight. Some fluctuation in our weight from day to day is normal.
Depending on our activity level, calorie intake, stress or even sleeping habits – our weight changes throughout the day. The average adult’s weight fluctuates in a range of up to 2 to 3 kilos per day.
This fluctuation may be due to fluid retention or even the time of day you step on the scale.
This is normal, and no cause for alarm. Beyond these daily fluctuations, continuous weight loss is what we want to discuss. Intentional or unintentional, the rate of weight loss is key.
Losing weight too rapidly can have health consequences.
What Is Rapid Weight Loss?
Opinions vary as to what is considered rapid weight loss. Many definitions tend to be hard numbers and do not take into account each person’s unique situation.
In some cases, the weight loss may be the goal and therefore considered intentional. According to many experts, losing 0.5–1 kilogram per week is a healthy and safe rate.
So how can you know if the weight loss you are experiencing poses a health risk?
If you are intentionally losing weight, through a combination of diet and/or exercise, according to one source, rapid weight loss is defined as the continuous loss of more than 1 kilogram per a week.
This arbitrary figure does not take into account your current weight. An obese individual of say 120 kilograms may be totally dissatisfied with this loss.
However, on the other hand, a teenager on a fad weight loss program losing this amount could suffer serious health consequences.
This raises the importance of taking into consideration each unique case before jumping to conclusions.
Alternatively, if you are not dieting and not intentionally losing weight and notice that you are losing weight – what constitutes rapid weight loss? According to some dietitians, a weight loss of over 10% of your body weight over a period of 6 months is a cause for concern.
This is quite different from the method applied to intentional weight loss.
In this case, for example, a 90-kilogram adult who consistently, and unintentionally lost more than 0.4 kg a week, should investigate the cause.
Why Is Rapid Weight Loss a Problem?
What happens if you intentionally lose weight, and it is faster than the suggested rate?
In order to lose weight, you must be creating a calorie deficit. If this is being done through diet, there is a danger that you may be also limiting your nutrient and vitamin intake. This has consequences for your health other than weight loss.
If a calorie deficit is created through exercise, there is a risk of overtraining, injury or exhaustion. Rapid, intentional weight loss is also a recipe for the creation of gallstones.
The rapid weight loss alters your body chemistry, resulting in the deposit of cholesterol, lecithin and bile acids and prevents the gallbladder from draining adequately.
Gallstones are painful and potentially dangerous. Some popular diets that guarantee rapid weight loss can provide insufficient fuel for the body, resulting in the breakdown of its own muscle for energy. The side effects may include fatigue, nausea and headaches.
There is no doubt, that intentional rapid weight loss can be a risky endeavour.
If you are eating, sleeping and exercising as usual, and weight is falling off you – this calls for immediate action. Unintentional weight loss can have underlying causes ranging from thyroid problems to infections to cancer and always warrants an investigation.
Around 40% of people diagnosed with cancer claimed that they had experienced weight loss at the time of diagnosis. Unintentional rapid weight loss was found to be a relatively high predictor for some types of cancer.
In addition, unintentional weight loss can be caused due to a number of other issues. Infections with viruses, bacteria and parasites are not uncommon causes for weight loss.
Even psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety can result in rapid weight loss. Studies show that unintentional weight loss is linked with higher morbidity, higher mortality and a lower quality of life for people suffering from many diseases.
So, although rapid weight loss is not desirable, it can be a very clear warning sign. Every case is unique, and it is important to consult your doctor in order to quickly make a diagnosis and find the underlying issue.
Conclusion
Your body weight is a very tricky thing to get right. For those looking to lose weight, there is an overwhelming amount of resources, diets, opinions and researches that can quickly result in misinformation.
Many looking to lose weight tend to rush the process and end up adopting crash diets or overtraining. This can result in rapid weight loss along with a number of unwanted side-effects. In order for the weight loss to be long-term and healthy, most research shows that gradual weight loss is easier to maintain and helps you develop healthy eating behaviours with fewer health risks.
Unexplained weight loss, especially if it is persistent and long-term, may be a sign of an underlying medical disorder. Every case is unique, but many doctors agree that a medical examination is required if you unintentionally lose more than 10% of weight in six months.
So, respect your body and pay attention to weight loss – if it is too fast you can suffer the health consequences and if it happens by itself then look out for the reasons.