Do you go on extreme diets to lose weight? You might need to check if you are eating enough to fulfill your body’s needs as undereating can cause serious health complications.
Some people undereat due to eating disorders such as anorexia, while others get carried away with diet trends, often misinterpreting nutritional tips without checking if they fit them.
When the body does not get enough nutrients, it will send warning signals. Here are some symptoms to watch out for:
1. Fatigue: The calories needed for normal body functioning varies based on factors such as body size, metabolism and physical activity. When a person does not take enough calories needed for normal body functioning, the most obvious symptom is feeling tired. Physical tiredness and mental fatigue can impair a person’s daily functioning.
2. Hair loss: When a person does not eat enough, it can create deficiencies in the body for certain vitamins and minerals, causing hair fall. The lack of proteins, calories and vitamins can also cause other abnormalities, such as changes in hair color or structure.
3. Brain fog: Brain fog or frequent confusion and forgetfulness can be a sign of several health challenges. However, most often it is a body signal that tells you that you are not eating enough throughout the day. Including fresh vegetables in the form of salads and food rich in vitamin B, omega-3 fatty acids, folate and antioxidants can help boost brain function.
4. Frequent infections: When a person does not eat enough, there are chances that the body will be deprived of specific nutrients needed for maintaining a healthy immune system to fight off illnesses. This can cause minor infections such as the common cold to last longer than they should.
5. Skin problems: The lack of nutrients like vitamin E and Vitamin B-3 can lead to many skin problems such as dry and itchy skin and skin inflammations. Extreme dieting can also cause dry and brittle nails.
6. Sleep issues: Undereating can make you feel too hungry to fall asleep or can cause you to wake up between sleep due to hunger. Studies have shown that not eating enough calories means less time you spend in deep sleep.
7. Difficulty to get pregnant: When the body is deprived of enough calories and adequate nutrients, it naturally prioritizes the available nutrition for life-supporting processes such as breathing and blood circulation. Hence, it can cause impairments to sex hormone production, which may lead to a reduced desire for sexual activity. It can also disrupt reproductive hormone signals, causing difficulties in getting pregnant.
8. Feeling cold all the time: To keep the body warm, the body needs to burn calories. When the body does not get enough calories from food, a person’s core body temperature drops, creating a constant feeling of being cold.
9. Constipation: A condition that causes fewer than three bowel movements per week or having small, hard stools that are difficult to pass is considered constipation. Studies have shown that constipation occurred most frequently in people who did not eat enough calories even if their diet gave them plenty of fiber needed for bowel movement. It is very common in older people. Young people also can have the issue if they go on extreme dieting by eating too few calories.
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Published by Medicaldaily.com
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