Weight Loss
Synopsis of Weight Loss
Weight loss refers to a decrease in total body mass and may involve reductions in fat, muscle, or fluid. It can be intentional—through dieting, exercise, or fasting—or unintentional, which may signal an underlying health issue. While moderate weight loss is often beneficial for those who are overweight, rapid or unexplained weight loss may result from digestive issues, chronic disease, hormonal imbalance, infection, or psychological stress. Identifying the nature and cause of weight loss is essential to ensure it supports health rather than undermines it.
Types:
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Intentional weight loss: Achieved through calorie restriction, increased physical activity, or lifestyle change
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Unintentional weight loss: Occurs without effort; often a red flag for illness
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Muscle loss (sarcopenia): Especially common in aging or prolonged inactivity
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Cachexia: Involuntary weight loss with muscle wasting seen in chronic illness
Common Causes:
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Caloric deficit or fasting
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Thyroid disorders (e.g., hyperthyroidism)
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Malabsorption or gastrointestinal diseases (e.g., IBD, celiac)
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Infections (e.g., tuberculosis, HIV)
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Cancer or chronic inflammation
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Diabetes or blood sugar dysregulation
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Depression, anxiety, or eating disorders
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Drug side effects (e.g., stimulants, chemotherapy)
Severity Causes:
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Rapid or extreme weight loss without medical supervision
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Underlying diseases like cancer, autoimmune conditions, or endocrine disorders
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Loss of lean muscle mass impairing strength and immunity
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Nutritional deficiencies (e.g., protein, B vitamins, iron)
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Coexisting fatigue, weakness, or brain fog
When to See a Doctor:
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Losing more than 5% of body weight in 6–12 months without trying
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Accompanied by fatigue, weakness, or digestive issues
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Persistent appetite loss
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Symptoms of chronic illness, hormone imbalance, or nutrient deficiency
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Unexplained changes in body composition
Natural remedies for Weight Loss
Ashwagandha: Supports stress adaptation and appetite balance, particularly in stress-induced or cortisol-related weight loss.
Magnesium: Helps regulate muscle and nerve function, reduce fatigue, and support appetite and metabolic health.
Probiotics: Improve digestion, nutrient absorption, and gut barrier integrity—especially helpful in malabsorption-related weight loss.
Vitamin C: Aids tissue repair, immune function, and collagen synthesis; important when weight loss involves inflammation or chronic illness.
Zinc: Promotes appetite, immune strength, and wound healing. Deficiency is common in unintentional weight loss.
Nutrient-dense meals: Incorporate protein (eggs, legumes, meat), healthy fats (avocado, olive oil), and complex carbs to restore energy and body mass.
Frequent small meals: Useful for those with low appetite, fatigue, or digestive challenges.
Manage stress and sleep: Chronic stress and sleep loss can suppress appetite and elevate metabolism in harmful ways.
Ingredients
These raw ingredients are often used in alternative medicine to treat Weight Loss
7-Keto-DHEA
acai berry
acetyl l-carnitine
akkermansia muciniphila
alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG)
anchovies
apple
ashwagandha
aspartic acid
black tea
boron
bovine liver
branched-chain amino acids
catjang cowpea
chia seed
coleus forskohlii
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
forskohlii root
garcinia
glucomannan
guarana
cellulose
hydroxycitric acid
inulin
l-leucine
l-phenylalanine
lentinula edodes mycelia
maca
magnesium
maltodextrin
matcha
medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
monkfruit
pea and rice protein blend (proprietary)
pea protein
prune
quinoa
rye
saffron
sardines
black ginger
soybean
almond fruit
vitamin B12
vitamin C
whey protein
zinc
jiaogulan
oryza
yerba mate
amaranth
millet seed
algae
kidney beans
cocoa
chickpea protein
brown rice protein
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
19-NorAndrost-4ene-3b-ol,17-one
17 beta-hydroxy 2 alpha,17beta-dimethyl 5 alpha-androstan 3-one azine
1,3-DMAA
1,3-DMAA
11-hydroxy yohimbine
17beta-[{1-Ketoethyl}-androsta-1, 4-diene-3-one,17a-ol]
17a-di methyl-bol
1,4-Dimethylpentylamine
17 beta-[1-ketoethyl]-androstane-3-one,17a-ol
17beta-(1-ketoethyl)-androstane-3-one, 17a-ol
1,3,7-Trimethylpurine-2,6-dione
3,5 Diiodothyronine
3-deoxy 7-oxo DHEA
3-Ketosteroid
3,7-keto-DHEA
3-desoxy-7-KETO-DHEA
4-androsterone
5-androstene-3alpha,17beta-diol
6-Paradol
7-oxo-DHEA
7-Beta-Hydroxy-DHEA
7-KETO-DHEA
7b-hydroxy, 17b-dihydro DHEA
African Mango
Agar
Ashwagandha
Agaricus mushroom
Apple fiber
Acetic acid
Animal Tissue
Azospirillum lipoferum
Acetylated alpha glucan
Arginine Creatine
Aga
Algalin protein
Amaranth
Asian Psyllium
Almond
Alpha ketoglutarate
Angel's hair seaweed
Alpha-cyclodextrin
Algae (unspecified)
Acacia fiber
Alpha-ketoisocaproic acid
Alfalfa Protein
Adrenergic amines
Ascophyllum nodosum
Agave (mixed)
Aegeline
Agar
Algae
Amino Acid (unspecified)
Alanine
Adzuki bean
Andarine
Amylopectin
Apple Acid (unspecified)
Amylopectin
Apple
Algae protein
Algal protein
Acai
Apple
Amino Acid Blend/Complex
Acetyl-L-Carnitine Arginate
Algalin
Acetyl-L-Carnitine-L-Arginine
Agar
Arginine alpha-ketoisocaproate
Arginine silicate
Animal protein
Betaine
Brown Rice Protein
Baker's Yeast
Bamboo fiber
Beta-hydroxybutyrate
Bitter orange
Beef Protein
Beef
Beef liver
Blond Psyllium
Brassica rapa (unspecified)
Beta phenethylamine
Black currant fiber
Bean
Beet Fiber
Buckwheat fiber
Brown Rice
Beef
Black Psyllium
Beta Methylphenethylalamine
Boron Alpha-Ketoglutarate
Beta Hydroxybutyrate
Beta-Sitosterol
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Broad Bean Protein
BCAA
Branched Chain Amino Acids
Brown Seaweed (unspecified)
Beef liver
Beef Extract
Black Rice
Boron picolinate
Corn Protein
Coffee
Cowpea
Calcium pyruvate
California chia
Cardarine
Caffeine pterostilbene
Chitosan
calamari
Crab
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Capsinoids
Coenzyme A
Cycloamylose
Chromium
Calories
Corn Bran
chlorogenic acid
Calcium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate
Chicken Protein
Cordyceps
Chinese hibiscus
Cistanche deserticola
Capsiate
Chromium Yeast
Calcium hydroxymethylbutyrate
Chromium dinicotinate glycinate
Chromium Ascorbate
Calcium alpha-ketoglutarate
Cistanche tubulosa
Cacao
Carrot Fiber
Chicken
Cinnamomum burmanii
Calcium hydroxycitrate
Chromium dinicotinate
Carbohydrate (mixed)
Carbohydrate (unspecified)
Caralluma fimbriata
Chia Protein
Cha de bugre
Canihua
Cat
Cuttlefish
Coffee (mixed)
Carnitine
Chomium picolinate
Chromium nitrate
Cycloamylose
calamari
Carbohydrate Blend
Chromium Polynicotinate
Chromium Nicotinate
Carbohydrate
Caralluma
Corn Polysaccharide
Cuttlefish
Calcium Arginine alpha-ketoisocaproate
Citrulline alpha-ketoglutarate
Creatine beta-hydroxybutyrate
Chitosan
Cellulose derivatives
Diacylglycerol
Dimethylamylamine
Diiodothyronine
Dimethylhexylamine (DMHA)
Dihydrocapsiate
Dextrin (unspecified)
Diindolylymethane
Dulse
Deoxycholic acid
Diacylglycerol
Duckweed Protein
Digestion resistant Dextrin
Durabolin
Durum Wheat
Dodeca-2E, 4E, 8Z, 10Z/Etetraenoic Acid Isobutylamide
Eurycomanone
Eria
Enicostemma Littorale
Egg
Eurycoma Longifolia
Evodiamine
Egg
Epiandrosterone
Ecdysteroids
Eucheuma
Ethyl Cellulose
Ephedrine
Erythritol
Flax protein
Furostanols (unspecified)
Fish
Fagopyrum (unspecified)
Foxtail millet
Flour (unspecified,enriched)
Flaxseed Protein
Fucoxanthin
Fenigreek fiber
Fenugreek Fiber
Forskolin
False Flax
Garcinia
Green pea fiber
Guggul Extract
Glucoside (unspecified)
Gevuina avellana
Ginseng, Siberian
Glucomannan
Grapefruit fiber
Garcinia
Galactomanan
Glycerol microcrystalline cellulose
glucose
Gallocatechin Gallate
Green Coffee
Glycerides
Ginseng, American
Guaranine
Gymnemagenin
Grains of Paradise
Guarana
Gymnema
Garcinia (mixed)
Green seaweed (unspecified)
GW501516
Garbanzo bean Protein
Ginseng, Panax
Garbanzo bean
Glucose polymer (unspecified)
Glucomannan
Glucose
Hydroxymethylbutyrate
Hydroxypropyl Distarch Phosphate
Hemp Protein
HMB Hydroxymethylbutyrate
Hexacosanol
Halostachine
Hydroxycitric Acid
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
Hoodia
Isomaltulose
Irvingia gabonensis
Inulin
Isopropylnorsynephrine
Ibutamoren
Iron
isoleucine alpha-ketoglutarate
Inka Peanut
Inositol phosphate
Isomaltulose
Jabuticaba
Konjac
Ketosterones (unspecified)
Khorasan wheat
ketone (unspecified)
Kelp (various)
Ketone Salts
Ketone
Ketosterones
Kelp (unspecified)
Ketosterone (unspecified)
Leucine
Lucuma
Liver
Laver
Legume protein
Ligandrol
Liver
Legume (unspecified)
L-Carnitine
L-Leucine
MCT / Medium Chain Triglycerides
Maltodextrin
Maca
Medium Chain Triglycerides
Maitake Mushroom
Mexican Yam
Medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
Monk Fruit
Magnesium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate
MK-677
Modified milk ingredients (unspecified)
Muscle
Magic Fruit
Mate
Methylsynephrine
Macaenes
Maltodextrin
Methylhexanamine
Maltodextrin
Norvaline
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
N-Methyltyramine
Octodrine
Oat Fiber
Oligodextrin
Oolong Tea
Oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine
Ostarine
Octopamine
Octacosanol
Oleoylethanolamide
Puerain
Proprietary Blend (Amino Acid/Protein)
Psyllium fiber
Potato Protein
Psyllium (not specified)
Prickly Pear Cactus Fiber
Polychitosamine
peanut butter
Plum fiber
Pyruvate
Polydextrose
Palm (unspecified)
Potassium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate
Potassium hydroxycitrate
Proprietary Blend (Combination)
Purple Tea
Plankton fossil
Phaseolamin
Palatinose
Pituitary
Pea
Pecan
Ponasterone
Pistachio
Pituitary
Pea protein
Ponasterone
Potassium pyruvate
peach fiber
Propolmannan
Quinoa
Quinoa Protein
Rice Oil
Rhaponticum carthamoides
Raspberry ketone
Rice Fiber
Rice vinegar
Rice Bean
Raspberry Ketones
Rapsberry ketone
Rice Protein
Rye
Rice Flour
Rutabaga
Rebaudioside A
Rauwolscine
Robusta Coffee
Sapogenin
Steviol glycoside
Shark
Synephrine
Shellfish
Squid
Stevia
Sucralose
Safed musli
Sprout
Suma
Salba Oil
Stenabolic
Somatropin
Siberian ginseng
Sacha Inchi Protein
Sodium Sulfate
Squid
Shrimp
Simmondsin
Sterones (unspecified)
Sugarcance fiber
Sacha Inchi
Sprinkles
Saturated Fatty Acid (unspecified)
Sickle Senna
Thylakoid
Tall Buckwheat
Triticum turanicum
Testosterone precursor (unspecified)
Tetrahydrocannabinol
Tyrosine alpha-ketoglutaric acid
Tiger Nut
Triacontanol
Triglyceride (unspecified)
Testolone
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin)
Vitamin B12 (unspecified)
Vitamin B12 (mixed)
Vitamin B12 (various)
Vegetable Protein
Veal
Vegetarian Capsule
Veal
Wheat Bran
Whey Protein
White Kidney Bean
White Mulberry
Walnut (unspecified)
Water Chestnut
Whey protin
Wheat Protein
Wheat Bran
Xanthohumol
YK-11
Yerba Mate
Yacon
yohimbine