Can Bad Digestion Cause Weight Gain?
Digestive problems are enough trouble on their own. Many of these problems have similar pathologies at their core. However, a common question among patients is whether these digestive problems can cause weight gain. Sadly, yes, digestive problems can lead to an increase in the weight. Certain effects of digestive problems may lead to a ferocious appetite. Others may cause excessive absorption and still, others may affect the internal metabolism and hormonal balance. All of these factors could synergize with one another and lead to weight gain. Here are some ways that digestive problems may cause weight gain.
Eating to ease symptoms
Certain diseases like GERD have increased acid production. As the reflux of aid goes through the esophagus it burns it and causes a heart burn. Food, on the other hand, dilutes the gastric content and also washes down the esophageal walls. This relative relief causes the person to eat more, just to alleviate symptoms. All the excess food is then absorbed by the intestine, leading to weight gain.
Inflammation
Any inflammatory process of the gut wall causes it to become leaky. Excessive fatty acids filter through the wall and into the system. Many digestive problems arise from this pathology, which is why almost all of the digestive problems cause weight gain. Unless the inflammation is relieved, the gut will continue to filter large amounts of fats into the blood which will be deposited as fat stores in the body, leading to weight gain.
Bacterial toxins
Once the harmful bacteria invade the gut and cause inflammation, the metabolic balance is disrupted. The bacterial toxins cause a decrease in the body’s metabolism, leading to lower energy consumption. In addition to this, the toxins cause insulin and leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipose cells which notify the brain of the increased fat stores in an effort to decrease the appetite. Once the body develops resistance, the person continues to eat regardless of leptin levels leading to weight gain. Insulin resistance also works in a similar manner. When the target tissues don’t respond to insulin the body is unable to utilize the glucose in the blood stream. This excess glucose is then stored in the body as fat.
Medications
At other times, it’s not the disease itself that causes weight gain, but rather the treatment. Many inflammatory diseases require steroids to subdue them. However, steroids have a variety of other effects as well. It causes elevated appetite and a shift in the metabolism favoring the storage of fats in the body. This leads to excessive weight gain.
All of these problems occur alone or in combination in many digestive diseases. This leads to the decreased utilization of energy and the excessive storage of fat. You need to consider all of these aspects. You never know your inability to reduce pounds may be due to a digestive disease. In order to evade this weight gain, you need to treat your condition. This will help balance your metabolism, ensuring weight loss.
