When you decide to take a break from your typical exercise routine, or indulge over the holidays, you would expect the scale to creep upwards. However, if you have been doing everything appropriately with both exercise and diet routines, you would be shocked to see a sudden weight gain. If you are experiencing this symptom, consider the following causes to determine what may have caused your sudden weight gain.
Causes of Sudden Weight Gain
1. Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, she is bound to gain weight. If she does not yet know she is pregnant, the weight gain will seem sudden. During pregnancy, the extra weight is distributed between the following: the placenta, the baby itself, amniotic fluid, an enlarging uterus, and an increase in blood supply throughout the body, which are helping the baby grow.
2. Menopauses
At some point between age 45 and 55, a woman begins to enter menopause, which is when she becomes non-fertile. Throughout most of a woman’s life, she has estrogen coursing through her body, which is the hormone responsible for both ovulation and menstruation. Once her menopause years begin, the estrogen levels slowly begin to decrease. When the estrogen levels are so low that they no longer induce menstruation, a woman has entered menopause, which then causes sudden weight gain around the hips and abdomen.
3. Fluid Retention
Sudden weight gain can be experienced when a person is suffering from edema or fluid retention. This causes your extremities, abdomen, and face to look swollen. Those with organ failure, specifically of the heart or kidney, and those on specific medications are more likely to suffer sudden weight gain from edema. Even if you are experiencing no other symptoms besides the edema, be sure to consult a doctor immediately as it can be a sign of a serious life-threatening condition
4. Cushing’s Syndrome
While this syndrome only affects 15 out of every one million adults each year, if you are experiencing sudden weight gain along with osteoporosis, high blood pressure and changes in skin tone and quality, you may need to consult your doctor about the possibility of having Cushing’s syndrome. This syndrome occurs when your adrenal glands play host to a cortisol-producing tumor. The cortisol will cause sudden weight gain in your abdomen, leaving your arms and legs looking excessively small compared to your midsection.
5. Side Effects of Medicines
In some instances, you will experience sudden weight gain as a side effect of the medication. This is most commonly experienced when you have prescribed medications which contain cortisol for certain diseases, such as asthma, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, because cortisol changes your metabolic rate. Other likely medications to cause sudden weight gain are antidepressants, oral contraceptives, steroidsand seizure medications. If you have been prescribed any of these medications, continue taking them until you talk with your doctor.
You will get more detailed information about medicines and weight gain from the video below and the publisher's other related video:
6. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid gland is malfunctioning. This malfunction causes a decrease in your metabolic rate, making sudden weight gain. It is vital to treat this condition as soon as possible because it can quickly damage other organs and lead to a stroke or cardiac arrest. The thyroid also helps to control the levels of estrogen and progesterone in your system, which can also lead to sudden weight gain.Hyperthyroidism must be closely monitored to prevent any sudden complications and further weight gain.
7. Depression
Clinically speaking, depression occurs when someone no longer has the will to continue your current daily lifestyle. Oftentimes, depression manifests in excess rest, which could lead to sudden weight gain. According to the 2010 issue in the American Journal of Public Health, those who report feelings of depression are more likely to experience sudden weight gain than those who are content. Patients suffering from depression tend toeat higher-calorie comfort foods and take less physical activity, leading to sudden weight gain.
8. Stress
When we undergo significant amounts of stress from any life event or just day to day activities, our bodies release what is known as cortisol. When your body has excess cortisol, it can lead to sudden weight gain because cortisol increases your appetite. Additionally, when we are stressed, we tend to prefer highercalorie comfort foods, which are pushed to eat by the cortisol, leading directly to sudden weight gain.
9. Lack of Sleep
Experiencing a lack of sleep is a two-edged sword when it comes to sudden weight gain. First and foremost, when you are up later, you are more likely to consumer late night snacks and thus experience weight gain. Additionally, when you are experiencing a lack of sleep, your body is not able to fully recuperate and rest as needed, meaning it will not be functioning at its prime throughout the day, which can also cause sudden weight gain.
10. Diseases
Aside from the many conditions already described, certain diseases will have a direct correlation to sudden weight gain. For example, an ovarian cyst may cause a woman to gain upwards of thirty pounds in a short span of time. Issues with some of the major life-giving organs, such as your heart, liver and kidneys, can also be to blame for sudden weight gain. Lastly, patients who go through breast cancer treatment may also experience sudden weight gain because of their treatment.
11. Quit Smoking
Many who finally make the decision to quit smoking will experience sudden weight gain. Although those who quit smoking will gain weight, most only gain approximately ten pounds. Once you quit, you will feel hungrier more often, but that feeling should subside after a few weeks, allowing you to lose any weight you have gained. Smoking can cause other health problems. So for those who currently smoke, be sure to consider stopping immediately for the betterment of your health.
You have read the most common causes of sudden weight gain. Now that you have a good starting point, you may be able to determine exactly what the cause in your case is. However, it is important to discuss any symptoms with your doctor and never self-diagnose.