Weight loss with gastritis: causes and consequences. How to gain weight with gastritis

August 7, 2018
Gastroenterology
Anna Mallaalieva

Almost every third person on the planet has problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Most people are diagnosed with a disease such as gastritis. When it occurs, the mucous membranes of the stomach become inflamed. This leads to the fact that the organ cannot fully perform its functions.

Weight loss with gastritis is common. In addition, a person may experience other unpleasant sensations, such as heaviness and pain in the stomach, excessive gas formation, constipation or diarrhea, and so on. All this not only causes inconvenience, but also prevents you from living a full life. Why can this disease be accompanied by severe weight loss? Let's find out the reasons, and also figure out how to regain your rounded shape.

Gastritis - what is it?

With this disease, the mucous layer of the stomach becomes inflamed. This leads to dysfunction. Food entering the body is poorly digested. Naturally, the patient does not receive the necessary nutrients, so his condition worsens greatly. As a rule, with gastritis you feel severe weakness and loss of strength.

This disease has two forms: chronic and acute. Also, with inflammation of the stomach, acidity may increase or decrease. There are patients in whom it does not change and remains normal.

Everyone without exception is at risk. Both children and elderly people can get gastritis.

Causes

As we said earlier, the most common cause of atrophic gastritis is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. But along with it there are several other reasons:

• abuse of alcoholic beverages;

• smoking;

• spicy, very salty or hot foods;

• drinking large amounts of coffee and carbonated drinks;

• penetration of aggressive chemicals into the stomach.

Sometimes gastritis can be caused by a combination of these factors. And if the patient does not start treatment on time, he risks his health.

Causes of gastritis

Before you understand why weight loss occurs with gastritis, you need to understand what causes this disease. The most common ones are:

Bacterial or fungal infection. These microorganisms affect the walls of the stomach, causing a severe inflammatory process.
Poor nutrition. This is one of the most common causes of gastritis. Moreover, the disease can be caused by both malnutrition and overeating.
Bad habits. The biggest enemy for the stomach is alcohol. It contains ethanol, which in large quantities is harmful to the body. Once in the stomach, it leads to the formation of an acid-base imbalance. In addition to this organ, ethanol has a detrimental effect on others, in particular the liver and pancreas.
Medicine. Unfortunately, medicine uses drugs that can irritate the gastric mucosa. We are talking about analgin, prednisolone, aspirin and others. With long-term treatment with drugs based on them, gastritis most often occurs.

In addition to the above reasons, this disease can be triggered by severe nervous disorders, chronic stress, parasites, and aggressive chemicals.

Diet for exacerbation of gastritis

“Has gastritis worsened? Eliminate everything spicy, fried and fatty!”

Surely you have repeatedly encountered this advice from a gastroenterologist in your clinic.

But maybe there is something else that you don’t know about nutrition for gastritis?

Russian and foreign doctors look at this problem a little differently.

Gastritis is damage and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach wall of various natures. Patients with gastritis often complain of pain and burning in the stomach, heartburn, belching, nausea and loss of appetite. Sometimes vomiting and stool disturbance occur. The disease, it must be said, is very “popular”: more than 40% of the adult population of the planet suffers from this disease to a greater or lesser extent.

Causes of gastritis

Gastritis does not have a single cause, but the selection of treatment and prevention of the disease depend on the cause. For example, gastritis can be caused by regular stress, excessive alcohol consumption, taking medications and other factors that can be attributed more to lifestyle. And sometimes behind gastritis there are viral or bacterial infections, inability to absorb vitamin B12, fungal infections or even parasites.

What are the dangers of severe weight loss?

Having extra pounds is very harmful, but when uncontrolled weight loss occurs (with gastritis, for example), this may not have the best consequences. In addition to pain and other unpleasant symptoms, problems such as decreased immunity, displacement of internal organs, muscle atrophy, and frequent injuries to joints and bones also develop. Also, in women whose body weight is significantly less than normal, the menstrual cycle is disrupted. This leads to problems with conceiving a child. Often in men, weight loss affects potency. If doctors diagnose anorexia, then in 15% of cases it can lead to death.

Why do people lose weight with gastritis?

This disease is very insidious, so it is necessary to understand why a person begins to suddenly lose weight.

As mentioned above, with gastritis the gastric mucosa becomes inflamed, so the digestion process is disrupted. Food is not digested, and the body experiences a lack of carbohydrates and proteins.
The acute form of gastritis is accompanied by a constant feeling of nausea. Patients often vomit, sometimes up to 20 times a day. This condition is complicated by diarrhea. Weight loss occurs because nutrients do not have time to be absorbed in the body. And this, in turn, leads to exhaustion.
Atrophic gastritis leads to a sharp decrease in appetite. Losing 20 kg of weight is critical. Often with this form of the disease, patients completely refuse to eat. In this case, immediate hospitalization is necessary.
It is worth noting that during exacerbation of gastritis, doctors recommend adhering to a special diet. Because of this, patients refuse their usual high-calorie foods. For this reason, natural weight loss may occur at the beginning of treatment.
Severe, incessant pain in the stomach leads to the fact that a person simply cannot eat. Because of this, sudden weight loss occurs. This behavior of the patient is quite reasonable. After gastritis goes from acute to chronic, body weight will gradually be restored.
Psychological reasons that cause sudden weight loss cannot be ruled out. Most often, patients understand that they experience pain after eating food, so they consciously refuse it so as not to experience such discomfort again.

Features of weight loss with gastritis and gastric ulcer

We often have a lot of questions regarding weight loss.
Can I take diet pills? Is it possible to exercise on an empty stomach? Are there any surgeries to “stitch up” the stomach? How to treat heartburn? All these questions will be answered by a GMS Clinic doctor, gastroenterologist, hepatologist, Ph.D. Sergei Sergeevich Vyalov. Question:

To lose weight, various nutritional supplements are often taken - with cellulose, chromium picolinate, garcinia, chitosan. Some cause nausea, others cause heartburn, and others cause stomach pain. Is this an individual reaction of the body, or are all diet pills so aggressive? What can you take without harming your digestion?

Answer:

I hasten to disappoint you. A food additive is only one of the dry legal forms of drug registration, when the manufacturer declines all responsibility for the consequences. And this registration form is very simple and does not require bureaucratic delays. This is why many manufacturers register their weight loss medications as dietary supplements. For example, in Europe in recent years, a large number of cases of liver damage (hepatitis) have been reported after taking weight loss products.

Most likely, uncontrolled intake of supplements provoked the development of an inflammatory process in the stomach. If you have diseases of the esophagus, stomach or intestines, you must follow a medical diet. Not a weight loss diet. It would be best to see a doctor for an examination. It is better to take medications and nutritional supplements as prescribed.

Research shows that changes in eating habits, diet composition, and foods consumed are usually sufficient to achieve weight loss. Taking medications makes sense when losing weight due to any disease.

Question:

Some people decide to lose weight quickly. They begin to train intensively in the gym, often on an empty stomach. In this way, you can worsen gastritis. The stomach becomes very sensitive, often nauseating. How to return to normal health?

Answer:

When losing weight, complete fasting often leads to exacerbation of diseases. In general, as research shows, diet is one of the most important factors in the development of stomach diseases. That is, if you want to eat, you definitely need to listen to the signal from your body to eat something. Not necessarily a lot, but something. Ignoring the feeling of hunger often provokes the development of an inflammatory process in the stomach - gastritis. On the other hand, often against the background of weight loss, a false feeling of hunger appears. This is often a psychological problem.

To regain normal health, it is best to consult a doctor. He will conduct an examination, identify the problem and prescribe qualified treatment.

Numerous studies have concluded that "indicators" must be used to determine hunger. The first is a glass of water. When you feel hungry, drink a glass of water. If the feeling of hunger does not go away, you can eat a small piece of food, any, as long as it is small. And only if after this the feeling of hunger remains, you can eat in peace.

Question:

Some of us love to eat, a lot of food! Of course, as a result, excess weight appears. Is there an operation to “suturing” part of the stomach? Is it safe? Can it lead to serious illness? Is it possible to reduce the volume of the stomach without surgery?

Answer:

Indeed, at present, especially in Western countries, operations to reduce the volume of the stomach are practiced. The operations themselves are quite simple in technique. However, like any intervention in the body, there may be complications. In reality they are extremely rare.

The mode of operation of the stomach has been studied for a long time. And for science it is obvious that the stomach can adapt to the volume of food entering it within about 2 weeks. That is, if a person ate 3 dishes for lunch, and now starts eating 2 dishes, then in about 2 weeks his stomach can shrink to this volume. Unfortunately, this rule does not always work... For example, if a person ate a lot, 2.5 kg of food at a time, such a volume is unlikely to decrease on its own. It is in such cases that operations are performed.

However, such an operation does not solve the situation. And if a person continues to eat large portions out of habit, his stomach will again stretch to a large size. But this is already a psychological problem.

Question:

Often, after severe stress, the stomach begins to hurt. Are there any new medicines that even cure stomach ulcers in a few days? Is this true and what kind of drugs are they?

Answer

: Under the influence of severe stress, an inflammatory process develops in the stomach and duodenum. At first it is a slight inflammation, then erosions and ulcers appear. Under severe stress, an ulcer can develop within 3-7 days! And No-shpa will not help here. Depending on what causes the ulcer, there are different treatment options - the duration can be from 10 to 30 days. If you experience abdominal pain after stress, you should definitely visit a doctor. He will conduct an inspection and determine what happened. And depending on this, he will prescribe treatment. You cannot treat abdominal pain on your own!

Question:

There is such a pattern. If you eat and drink a lot, your heart begins to pound. The pulse reaches 120-130 beats per minute. Is it true that this is how a stomach ulcer manifests itself?

Answer:

When consuming large amounts of food or liquid, the stomach becomes distended. If this amount is too large, various reactions may occur due to compression of the vessels and nerves located near the stomach. Palpitations and shortness of breath may appear, and blood pressure may increase. The situation can be resolved by taking special medications that speed up gastric emptying, for example Itomed. It helps restore the disturbed rhythm of contraction of the stomach when it is overfilled with food. However, both stomach ulcers and hiatal hernia can be accompanied by similar symptoms. Therefore, it would be better to undergo an examination.

Source: Author: Sergey Vyalov, gastroenterologist, hepatologist, candidate of medical sciences.

Finding out the reasons for weight loss

From all of the above, you can understand how interconnected gastritis and weight loss are. Treatment that will relieve the inflammatory process of the mucous membranes of the stomach is prescribed only after the necessary examination. Since other factors can influence weight loss, doctors rule them out first. To do this, the patient is prescribed tests for hormones and the presence of parasites, as well as a general blood test. An ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland is required. In some cases, fluorography may be prescribed.

Such an examination allows you to determine with maximum accuracy the reason why weight loss occurs. A course of therapeutic treatment is prescribed only after the source of the problem has been identified. Only a doctor should prescribe medications and plan a diet. Self-medication can lead to exacerbation of gastritis, as well as cause serious side symptoms.

Gastritis

Gastritis is gaining epidemic momentum. But the strange thing is: this fact is not alarming, but... calming. "Gastritis? Who doesn't have it? - many people argue. – Every second person complains about him, if not more. And it’s okay, people live.” Meanwhile, gastritis is not a harmless disease at all - it can lead to ulcers and even provoke cancer.

What is important to know about gastritis and how to protect your stomach, says Zhanna Georgievna Simonova, a gastroenterologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, a doctor of the highest category with 26 years of experience.

Simonova Zhanna Georgievna, professor, doctor of medical sciences, gastroenterologist

– Zhanna Georgievna, tell us what gastritis is and what are its symptoms?

– Gastritis is an inflammation of the gastric mucosa. The patient feels pain in the abdomen, aching or acute, he is tormented by: heartburn, belching, nausea, a feeling of fullness in the stomach. Gastritis can also be asymptomatic until the “trigger” is triggered: the stomach is tired from hot sauces and spices, or a half-starved diet, or chronic stress at work... In short, there are many factors - and one of them can unexpectedly land a person in a hospital bed.

– How dangerous is the disease? – Long-term chronic inflammation can lead to atrophy of the cells of the gastric mucosa. If the patient lets the situation take its course, after a few years the cells may transform into malignant ones. In addition, gastritis is “fertile soil” for the development of stomach and duodenal ulcers. This is why it is so important to start timely treatment - lost time can be very costly. So why risk your health?

– Dry snacks and fast food are to blame for gastritis, is that true?

– For a long time, doctors believed that the main cause of gastritis was indeed poor nutrition. In fact, in 85-90% of cases the disease is caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. For its discovery, by the way, they were awarded the Nobel Prize. Dr. Marshall from Australia decided to prove the hypothesis from his own experience: he self-infected himself with the bacterium, and just a few days later he developed symptoms of gastritis. After antibiotic therapy, his health was successfully restored, which was confirmed by subsequent gastroscopy.

– So gastritis is contagious?

– Gastritis itself is not contagious. Another thing is that in the structure of gastritis, it is gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori that accounts for up to 90%. As for the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, in general, according to some data, the number of people infected with it in different regions reaches 50-60%. True, not everyone suffers from gastritis. For some, the pathogenic bacterium does not manifest itself in any way for decades, while for others it begins to rapidly multiply and destroy the gastric mucosa. Theoretically, infection occurs through contact and household contact. That is why if such gastritis is diagnosed in one family member, it is recommended that the rest of the household be examined as well.

– You said that in 90% of cases bacteria are to blame. What about the other 10%?

– Gastritis can be triggered by bad habits and stress – in many people, the stomach reacts painfully to disruptions of the nervous system. Or uncontrolled use of certain medications. Analgin, aspirin - as the most common example. All this weakens the gastric mucosa, making it vulnerable. Gastritis can also be of an autoimmune nature. For inexplicable reasons, cells of the immune system begin to attack the gastric mucosa, considering it a foreign object. This is a consequence of some genetic mutation. Such cases are extremely rare, but still occur in practice.

– Many people are frightened by the notorious expression “swallow your guts.” Is it necessary to do an FGDS to diagnose gastritis? After all, the presence of bacteria can be detected by a blood test...

– Firstly, a blood test will not give a complete picture. Even if bacteria are not detected, gastritis or another disease with similar symptoms cannot be ruled out. Secondly, the expression “swallow your guts” is no longer relevant. Video gastroscopy is a study of a new technological level. Modern endoscopes-TV cameras are very miniature; through a microcamera, a clear image of the internal organs is displayed on the screen, which can be enlarged many times. The endoscopic examination takes a few minutes and, if the procedure is performed by an experienced specialist, does not cause much discomfort. There is absolutely no need to be afraid. The main thing is that endoscopy will allow you to objectively assess the condition of the stomach and identify whether there are areas with atrophied cells.

– It is very difficult to protect yourself from gastritis – in modern living conditions, is it inevitable?

– A healthy stomach, of course, requires attention and self-discipline. Regular nutrition, control of negative emotions, visiting a gastroenterologist and timely examination - such good habits are quite possible to cultivate in yourself. But even if gastritis is diagnosed, you should not panic: changes in the stomach with this disease are reversible! The effect will be if the specialist prescribes the correct treatment, and the patient begins to follow all the recommendations and adhere to the diet.

The Naedine clinic operates 7 days a week so that everyone in need can receive medical care at a convenient time. No waiting or queuing. In a comfortable environment and at a high professional level!

You can make an appointment with a gastroenterologist for a partial or complete examination of the gastrointestinal tract right now, without delay.

How to gain weight?

Weight loss with gastritis can be considered normal if no more than 3-4 kg of the initial weight is lost. After the inflammatory process is relieved by drug treatment, the patient recovers within 2 months. Since after gastritis you cannot immediately return to fatty foods, weight normalization occurs gradually.

It is important to understand: in order to regain lost pounds and feel healthy, you need to eat right, dividing meals into 5-6 times. Drink up to 2 liters of clean water daily. It is recommended to distribute physical activity. Don't forget to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Vitamins are simply necessary if the patient is diagnosed with erosive gastritis. Weight loss will stop if you give up bad habits forever.

It is important to understand that the human body consists of several types of tissues. When losing weight due to illness, muscle mass most often decreases. And if you start eating abundantly, then weight restoration will be carried out due to fatty tissue. It is for this reason that it is important to balance all foods and correctly distribute physical activity. Under no circumstances should you give up protein-rich foods. It strengthens muscle tissue, due to which a person’s well-being significantly improves.

Stomach diseases. Gastritis

Gastritis

is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach walls. With gastritis, pain appears in the upper half of the abdomen on an empty stomach or an hour after eating. Nausea, heartburn and belching are common. Sometimes vomiting may occur. After eating, you may feel a feeling of fullness in your stomach. Abdominal bloating and belching with an unpleasant odor and aftertaste also occur. Diarrhea or constipation, heaviness in the abdomen, possible weight loss, feeling sick after eating. Increased irritability, weakness, drowsiness, and lack of strength may appear. The most common cause of gastritis is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori; in 80% of cases, gastritis develops as a result of the action of this microorganism. Poor nutrition and prolonged alcohol abuse may also be the cause. Gastritis can also occur against the background of a decrease, or vice versa, an increase in the secretory function of the stomach. To treat gastritis, consultation with a gastroenterologist is necessary.

Prevention of gastritis, first of all, is the normalization of eating behavior. It is necessary to stop eating fast foods, avoid drinking carbonated water, alcoholic beverages and smoking. It is necessary to establish a diet - eat food at certain hours. The quality and quantity of food consumed also plays an important role. Preference should be given to freshly prepared food, preferably dietary.

Chronic atrophic gastritis

is a chronic lesion of the stomach, characterized by atrophic changes in its mucous membrane. It is believed that the cause of the disease is various kinds of disturbances in the functioning of the human immune system, as well as age-related changes. With atrophic gastritis, there is an uncomfortable feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach after eating, and pain may also be experienced. Often after eating, belching appears, at first just air, but over time it can acquire a bitter or rotten taste. To identify atrophic gastritis, fluoroscopy of the stomach, fibrogastroduodenoscopy with histological examination, intragastric pH-metry, and an immunological blood test are performed. To prevent atrophic gastritis, it is important to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, eat regularly and balanced, reduce stress, exercise and sleep enough hours a day.

Antral gastritis

is a chronic inflammatory lesion of the gastric mucosa, localized in the antrum (in the outlet section of the stomach). About 95% of all cases of chronic antral gastritis are caused by the detection of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori in the gastric mucosa. This bacterium feels comfortable in gastric mucus. In an unfavorable environment, Helicobacter passes into the cyst stage, and when it gets into comfortable conditions, it becomes active again. Helicobacter bacteria produce certain enzymes that cause a change in the composition of the mucus, which facilitates the penetration of bacteria into the mucous membrane of the antrum of the stomach. In this area, it begins to actively multiply, which provokes damage to the mucous membrane and disruption of the functioning of the gastric glands. As a result of pathological changes in the gastric mucosa, bicarbonates cease to be produced, which causes a gradual increase in the acidity of gastric juice and additional damage to the gastric epithelium. The development of Helicobacter pylori infection is facilitated by duodenogastric reflux, the use of certain medications, food allergies, poor quality nutrition, chronic alcoholism and smoking. The symptoms of antral gastritis are very similar to the course of ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa. Such patients experience the appearance of hunger pain in the epigastric region or pain that occurs some time after eating; they may also experience heartburn, belching of sour or air, and constipation. With this disease, there is no loss of appetite. When performing fibrogastroduodenoscopy, spotty hyperemia of the mucous membrane, its swelling in the antrum are determined, and sometimes hemorrhages or erosions can be detected. There may be increased exudation and stagnation of contents in the stomach caused by spasm of the pylorus. During an endoscopic examination, it may be necessary to perform a tissue biopsy for histological examination and identification of the pathogen. A C-urease breath test has also been developed. To carry it out, C13-labeled urea is injected into the stomach, and then the concentration of C13 is determined in the exhaled air. If there are Helicobacter bacteria in the stomach, they will destroy urea, and the concentration of C13 will be above 1%. Treatment of antral gastritis begins with the appointment of a special therapeutic diet, characterized by the exclusion of fatty, spicy, fried, salty and rough foods from the patient’s menu.

Proper nutrition

If a person has already experienced weight loss due to gastritis, then he needs to learn how to eat properly. First of all, you will need to get rid of the root cause that caused the loss of body weight. After relieving inflammation of the mucous membrane, you need to create a nutrition schedule. As mentioned above, it is better to divide meals into five to six times. Each serving should not exceed 200 g. The diet must include the following products:

fermented milk: sour cream, kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt;
meat: it is better to give preference to white lean meat, such as chicken.

It is not advisable to give up fish. It is easily absorbed in the body, filling it with useful substances. You should also include hard cheeses in your diet.

Symptoms

If we talk specifically about the symptoms of atrophic gastritis, they differ little from the general symptoms of the disease. However, some features are worth paying attention to:

• belching has an unpleasant sour taste;

• appetite decreases or disappears altogether;

• after each meal there is severe heartburn;

• flatulence and constant rumbling in the stomach;

• frequent constipation;

• the patient becomes irritable;

• general condition worsens - weakness, drowsiness, increased sweating are observed.

Advanced atrophic gastritis leads to destruction of the gastric mucosa. Because of this, the secreted gastric juice severely injures the organ, causing erosions and ulcers. In this case, the patient experiences severe pain, which sometimes does not help with any medications.