Digestive Diseases That Cause Weight Gain – Digestion is one of the systems in our body that has a very important function because all the food we digest will definitely be processed again in the digestive system. That’s why we have to take care of their health.
Digestive problems have a huge effect on how we eat and how the body absorbs and digests food, causing us to gain or lose weight. Below are some of the digestive problems that can cause weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Come on, take a good look!
1. GERD
Described in the National Institutes of Health, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus causing a painful burning sensation or heartburn in the lower chest. In people who have this problem, eating can help reduce pain. This is because while eating, the presence of saliva from chewing food can neutralize the acid which provides temporary relief.
However, once the food is digested, symptoms such as bloating, nausea, and hiccups will return. As a result, sufferers tend to fall into a dangerous cycle of overeating which leads to weight gain.
2. Overgrowth of gut bacteria
Basically, the gut contains both good and bad bacteria, and research in the 2010 European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that good types of bacteria play an important role in overall health by reducing inflammation and keeping weight in check.
Problems occur when the number of bacteria increases, or when the types of bacteria become out of balance. When that happens, what’s known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can occur, and it can lead to weight gain in two ways.
First, bacteria can produce methane gas, which slows down the overall function of the small intestine, allowing the intestinal villi to absorb more calories from food. Second, SIBO can slow metabolism and affect insulin and leptin resistance, both of which help regulate hunger and satiety. As a result, individuals tend to crave carbohydrates and may not feel full after eating.
Also Read : Foods That Can Be Digestive Medicine
3. Food intolerance
Food intolerance is a condition when the body has difficulty digesting certain foods, but many people mistake it for a food allergy. In fact, food allergies trigger the immune system, while food intolerances do not.
Research in the journal Deutsches rzteblatt International shows that about 20 percent of people in the world experience food intolerances. The root cause of food intolerance is difficult to pinpoint, but symptoms include bloating, itching, intestinal irritation, migraines and headaches, runny nose, cough, and upset stomach.
Food intolerance and weight gain have a fairly complex relationship. For one thing, when your immune system reacts to certain foods you eat, it triggers chronic inflammation and interferes with the appetite suppressant messages sent by hunger hormones to the brain. As a result, you will continue to eat more, which can lead to weight gain.
4. Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease occurs when part of the digestive system becomes inflamed, according to the Mayo Clinic. The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, but heredity and immune system problems can affect this condition. Individuals diagnosed with Crohn’s disease do not always display the same symptoms, but common symptoms include diarrhea, fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, cramps, and weight changes.
Crohn’s disease is one of the digestive disorders that people associate with weight loss and gain. The reason is that the treatment of Crohn’s disease involves the use of steroids which can increase the desire to eat carbohydrates, and also make the patient retain more water, which can cause bloating. All of these factors can lead to weight gain.…
