Loss of appetite during pregnancy and old age

Loss of appetite during pregnancy

Most pregnant women suffer from nausea and vomiting at the beginning of pregnancy (during the first three months).
In addition to morning sickness, some pregnant women may lose their appetite.
This is normal and not a cause for concern.

Causes of loss of appetite in pregnancy

• Loss of appetite occurs mainly due to nausea. The feeling of morning sickness decreases the desire to eat. In addition, vomiting makes it difficult to gain weight or maintain a healthy weight.
• In the second trimester of pregnancy, there is a general slowdown of the digestive system. Inertia occurs due to the pressure that the uterus exerts on the lower part of the intestine.
  This leads to reduced appetite and constipation during pregnancy.
• Pregnancy brings great physical, psychological, emotional and hormonal stress.
  This may be one of the reasons why a pregnant woman has no appetite.
• Another factor that affects loss of appetite during the first trimester is the increase in progesterone.
  This hormone slows down the entire digestive process.
  The greater absorption of water from the colon slows down digestion.
• During pregnancy, the doctor may prescribe the intake of iron, which leads to constipation in the expectant mother.
• Many women suffer from meteorism or air in the abdomen due to the slowing down in the digestive tract.
  Intestinal air can dilate the stomach and thus cause a feeling of fullness.
• In addition, the upper sphincter of the stomach relaxes during pregnancy. This often causes heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux in the second and third trimesters.
  Because heartburn usually gets worse after eating, women can lose the desire to eat in order to avoid the symptoms.

It should also not be forgotten that a pregnant woman can have the same stomach discomfort as a normal adult, for example:

• Stomach ulcer
• gastritis or
• Infection with Helicobacter pylori.

Fehlender Appetit im letzten Schwangerschaftsdrittel

Viele Frauen sagen, sie hätten weit weniger Appetit in den letzten Schwangerschaftsmonaten.
Einer der Gründe ist der Druck, den der Fötus im Leib ausübt.
Es gibt einfach weniger Platz für die Nahrung. Die beste Art, Appetitmangel zu bekämpfen ist, alle 3-4 Stunden zumindest kleine Snacks zu essen.
Während der Mahlzeiten sollte man:

• no water
• or drink fruit juice.

The liquid quickly fills the stomach and thus leaves little room for the solid foods.

Natural remedies for loss of appetite

A few simple measures can help overcome the loss of appetite during pregnancy.
These remedies can actually increase the desire to eat, benefiting both the mother and the child.

• • If there is a loss of appetite in the first trimester of pregnancy, smaller meals should be eaten.
  • If you start eating smaller meals throughout the day, the stomach retains a feeling of satiety and nausea decreases.
  • There is no need to force yourself to eat in the morning. You can also eat later during the day, then mainly nutritious foods and drinks to make up for the food loss from the morning.

• Pregnant women should drink 8-10 glasses of water every day to compensate for the increased water intake from the feces, which causes constipation in the second trimester of pregnancy.
• One should eat green leafy vegetables and fiber-rich foods.
• Pregnant women should avoid fatty foods, hard-to-digest foods and those that reduce appetite.
• 5-7 smaller meals throughout the day are better than 2 large main meals. The same rule should be observed if there is a loss of appetite during the last months of pregnancy.
• If there is a persistent lack of appetite and it is not possible to consume sufficient nutrients, you should consult a doctor immediately. Weight loss and dehydration due to lack of appetite are dangerous for the mother and her unborn child.
• For nausea and vomiting in the first three months of pregnancy, the doctor may recommend the BRAT diet to pregnant women; this consists of:
  – bananas, – rice, – applesauce,

  – toast.
  These foods are adequate foods and do not irritate the stomach. Rarely, their smell causes nausea.

• Pregnant women should avoid:
  – spicy foods, – eggs,

  – fish.
  These foods trigger loss of appetite and nausea during pregnancy.

Lack of appetite in adults and the
elderly

The causes of loss of appetite in adults or the elderly are mainly due to:

• taking medications,
• oncological diseases.

Some medicines, such as Zoloft (sertraline) used to treat depression or ampicillin (antibiotic), may temporarily cause loss of appetite.

Oncological causes of appetite loss

Lack of appetite in people with cancer has many causes: Some tumor types can cause a loss of appetite, such as:

• Ovarian cancer
• cancer of the pancreas,
• Liver cancer
• tumor of the thyroid gland,
• Stomach cancer.

Usually, these diseases affect a person’s metabolism (a body process that breaks down food and converts it into energy).

Advanced cancer (which is untreatable).
Causes of loss of appetite in grade IV malignant tumor:

1. Some tumors can cause enlargement of the spleen. The enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) can press on the stomach and thus cause a feeling of fullness.
2. Ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen) can cause bloating even after a small portion of food.
3. Medicines, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and sedatives (medicines that calm or make you tired).
4. Radiotherapy or surgery on one of the gastrointestinal organs, such as the stomach or intestines.

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