It’s not that specific medical conditions make it impossible to lose weight altogether; however, they can make it very difficult. Some disorders affect your hormonal system and your metabolism; others lead to increased appetite or they directly cause fat storage or greater water retention. The medications you take also have a major impact on your body mass. Here are some medical conditions and disorders that make losing weight more difficult.
Hypothyroidism makes weight-loss more difficult
Hypothyroidism is the most popular condition that is known to make losing weight more difficult. It is a real plague of our times. Around 22% of Poles are diagnosed with hypothyroidism in their lifetime. Hypothyroidism is nearly 5 times more common in women than in men. Gaining weight is one of the side effects of a thyroid misfunction.
In this case, it is related to the so-called “slower metabolism”. Admittedly, too low levels of T3 and T4 hormones and increased TSH lead to lower basal metabolic rate. In addition, hypothyroidism leads to lower mood, less energy and strength to face everyday activities. As a result, you are burning fewer calories each day. Unless you change your diet, you will gain weight.
However, hypothyroidism is not only about gaining weight, or gaining fat. Glycosaminoglycans breakdown related to hypothyroidism may cause excessive water retention in your body. It leads to the swelling of legs, but also swelling in your face, neck and eyelids. The problem should disappear, once the hormones have been regulated. That is why some media say the hypothyroidism diet is a “diet that changes your facial features”.
However, a diagnosis of hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease is not the end of the world and it does not mean that you are doomed to have a higher body mass forever. You can lose weight, even with hypothyroidism. The first step is to have your hormones regulated with the right thyroid medication. The next step is to follow a balanced diet based on unprocessed food.
It is worth using vegetables and whole-grain cereals, and make sure you get a protein supply in your meals. You need to be cautious with sports when you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism (especially Hashimoto’s disease) so that you do not overextend yourself. Start with regular physical activity at a moderate pace and slowly increase its intensity. Starting high-intensity workouts four times a week may be too much for your thyroid and adrenal glands, and the result will be the opposite of what you intended.
Insulin resistance (and diabetes) and problems with weight-loss
The question whether it is insulin resistance that leads to weight gain or the obesity that leads to insulin resistance keeps specialists awake and is similar to the dilemma of which came first, the chicken or the egg? However, scientists who examine insulin resistance have no doubts – insulin resistance does not cause obesity, it coexists with it. The fat tissue that is deposited in the abdominal area is hormonally active and reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin. Caloric surpluses and overeating make cells resistant to insulin.
It goes without saying that insulin resistance makes losing weight more difficult, even if it appears only after the person had gained weight. It is harder to deliver glucose, or the source of energy, to insulin-resistant cells. A higher dose of insulin and strained work of pancreas are needed to do so. You have more cravings for sweets and carbohydrates because, even though you have had a meal, the glucose does not get to the cells and they are still “hungry”.
Thus, people who suffer from insulin resistance have a greater problem with regulating their intuitive eating. They cannot really trust their cravings because insulin resistance disturbs the natural perception of hunger and satiety.
Insulin resistance is not classified as a disease, it is a disorder. It is not diabetes yet. If you find out you are insulin resistant, consider it a warning bell – it is high time to take care of your diet, get some activity and rest more. If you continue your current lifestyle, you may end up with diabetes, the metabolic syndrome and multiple health complications that will be harder to reverse.
Polycystic ovary syndrome makes weight loss more difficult
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that is characterised by an abnormal amount of androgens and it very often coexists with insulin resistance. Consequently, women suffering from PCOS have the same problems with weight loss as people who are insulin-resistant. Half of the women with PCOS also suffer from obesity.
How to approach a weight-loss diet when you are diagnosed with PCOS? First of all, it is worth choosing an anti-inflammatory diet, that is:
- limit your intake of sugar and simple carbohydrates,
- follow a low glycemic diet,
- eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, preferably local and seasonal ones,
- consume the right amount of Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, and
- avoid processed and fast food products.
Binge-Eating Disorder (BED)
The Binge-Eating Disorder, or BED, is not a disease – it is an eating disorder characterised by binge eating episodes. The BED is found in around 10% of people diagnosed with obesity. It is characterised by binge eating episodes during which an individual eats objectively very large amounts of food. You may suspect BED if you:
- notice binge eating episodes at least once a week over a course of 3 months,
- overeat,
- feel guilty after a food binge,
- eat very fast,
- avoid eating in the presence of other people, eat secretly to hide how much you consume, or
- eat large amounts of food even though you don’t feel hungry.
Cognitive behavioural therapy treatment is used for the treatment of BED; antidepressants can also be used (as BED often coexists with depression); Bariatric surgery is another approach to treat BED in extreme cases.
Depression and chronic stress
It goes without saying that depression is linked with body mass fluctuations. Some people with depression lose weight, with others it’s just the opposite – they put on weight heavily. The reason, in this case, is most frequently relating to: stress eating, compulsive eating and dealing with emotions through eating. Depression can be strictly related to eating disorders – it is a psychonutritional issue. Another factor that is related to problems with weight loss in patients with depression is that they give up physical activity which lowers their caloric demand.
Mood and behaviour swings are not the only causes of problems with weight loss. Medications taken in depression can also cause weight gain to some extent. They affect the central nervous system and may disturb the functioning of the hunger and satiety centre. Please keep in mind that you should never go off your medications prescribed by a psychiatrist, even if you gain weight. If you notice side effects of your medications, such as weight gain or problems losing weight, please consult your doctor.
Testosterone deficiency makes losing weight more difficult
Testosterone deficiency syndrome is not a disease – it is a hormonal disorder that can effectively make losing weight more difficult. Testosterone deficiency is characterised by fatigue, lower sex drive and problems concentrating. A side effect of having a lower testosterone level is having more fat around the abdomen and chest (belly fat). The testosterone deficiency syndrome is mainly associated with men; however, similar hormonal changes are observed in women during menopause, for example.
Diseases that require steroid treatment and Cushing’s syndrome
Cushing’s syndrome may be caused by too much glucocorticoids in your body. It may be due to the use of steroid medications, but also due to excessive production of steroid hormones by the body. It is difficult to lose weight and get rid of the characteristic look when you have Cushing’s syndrome.
Steroid medications are indispensable in many diseases. They are used, for example, in case of gastrointestinal infections, rheumatoid arthritis, severe psoriasis cases and many other disorders.
Unfortunately, swelling, water retention, excessive appetite and weight gain are some of the side effects. When they appear together, those symptoms are called Cushing’s syndrome. The changes in appearance of individuals who are on steroids are very characteristic; there are even colloquial terms used in medicine such as “steroid face” or “steroid belly”.
The sigs of Cushing’s syndrome include:
- purple stretch marks on the skin,
- a characteristic round face, aka “moon face”,
- a neck that has seemingly become shorter,
- a fatty hump between the shoulders,
- excess fat on abdomen with slim arms and legs: apple-shaped obesity.
People who use steroids as doping in sport may experience the same symptoms.
Other medical conditions that make weight loss more difficult
It is not only diseases that affect our metabolism and hormones that make losing weight more difficult. There are also more mundane causes of weight gain related to medical issues. These include first and foremost all disorders which limit mobility, such as:
- osteoporosis,
- joint injuries: knees, hips or ankles,
- bone fractures, and
- other diseases that require bed rest or immobility.
Medications that make losing weight more difficult
There are quite many medications whose side effects (which may occur more or less frequently) include “weight gain” or “body mass gain”. These include:
- drugs affecting the nervous system,
- antihistamines (allergy drugs),
- beta-blockers,
- some medications used for chemotherapy, and
- psychiatric medications.