10 REASONS YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE EATING

1 IT’S TOO DARN HOT

HIGH temperatures, such as those seen across the nation last week, can leave some people experiencing loss of appetite. The most common cause for this is dehydration, so increase fluid intake to make up for any lost through sweating.

2 YOU REALLY ARE STRESSED

STRESS activates the body’s ‘fight-or-flight response’, a cascade of hormones released that raise blood pressure and heart rate, and change the circulation. These hormones also slow down the digestive system.

3 IT’S YOUR THYROID

THE thyroid gland, located in the neck, is responsible for producing hormones that control the metabolism. An underactive thyroid – hypothyroidism – leads to loss of appetite, tiredness, sensitivity to cold temperatures and weight gain.

4 BLAME MEDICATION

A NUMBER of prescription drugs can suppress appetite, including some antidepressants and cancer treatments. If you are on medication and experience significant weight loss, see your doctor.

5 IT’S MORE THAN ‘THE BLUES’

PEOPLE with depression often lose interest in food, so if you have experienced low mood for a longer period of time, as well as having lost your appetite, it is a sign that it may be something more than just being a bit sad. Speak to your GP, or get in touch with a specialist charity such as MIND.

6 YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO GLUTEN

COELIAC disease – an intolerance to gluten, which is a protein found in grains – often leads to diarrhoea, abdominal pain and indigestion, but can also result in a loss of appetite. If you fear you may be intolerant or sensitive, it is worth excluding gluten from your diet for a short period of time to see if the symptoms improve.

7 YOU’VE PICKED UP A PARASITE

GIARDIASIS is a rare parasite infection of the digestive system which causes cramps, nausea, indigestion, fatigue and loss of appetite. Often first contracted from drinking contaminated water, it can spread from person to person.

8 IT’S A BOWEL DISEASE

INFLAMMATORY bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, cause inflammation of the gut. Symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, fatigue, anaemia and loss of appetite. Most sufferers first develop the diseases in early adulthood, and the cause of many is not yet known.

9 NO ADRENALINE

ADDISON’S disease, also known as hypoadrenalism, is a rare illness that affects the adrenal glands, which are responsible for producing ‘stress’ hormones such as adrenaline. It is often confused with other illnesses that share the same symptoms: fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle weakness and increased thirst. Patients have to take hormone replacements for life.

10 IT COULD BE VIRAL

LOSS of appetite is one of the symptoms of hepatitis, a virus infection of the liver, along with abdominal pain, high fever, muscle and joint pain and jaundice. While hepatitis C is the most common type in the UK, it is usually spread only through blood contact. Hepatitis A and E, on the other hand, are spread through consuming contaminated food and drink. They are both more widespread outside Europe.