Colds and emaciation: myth or scientific fact?

Daria Radmanesh List of disorders and diseases Infectious Last update: 2 months ago Published: 1 year ago 1 question

Pending review by Darmankade medical team

Cold is one of the most common seasonal diseases that most people get at least once a year. This disease is usually associated with symptoms such as runny nose, cough, sore throat and fatigue and can negatively affect the general health of the body. Some people experience a small amount of weight loss after catching a cold. Normally, the connection between colds and weight loss seems a bit strange, however it is not impossible. In this article from Darmankade Health Magazine, join us to examine the effects of a cold on body weight and answer the question of whether a cold causes weight loss or not.

Cold and weight loss
What should we do to prevent weight loss during a cold period?
Final-speech
Questions Common

Colds and weight loss

Colds usually do not have a direct effect on weight loss. However, it may cause a slight and temporary weight loss due to various changes that occur in the body during the disease. Here, we examine the effects of a cold on body weight and mention the factors that may cause weight loss during this disease:

1- Cold and changes in body metabolism

Consuming enough fluids and nutritious food will compensate for the weight lost during the cold period.

Learn more: Which fruits are harmful for colds?

The connection between colds and weight loss can be related to changes in the body's metabolism. During a cold, the body's immune system is more active to fight viruses and pathogens. This increased activity may increase the body's metabolism. In other words, the body uses more energy to fight viruses and improve health. However, the increase in energy consumption is usually not enough to cause significant weight loss, but some people who normally have a high metabolism experience a small amount of weight loss.

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2- Loss of appetite during colds

One of the effects A common cold is loss of appetite. During this illness, people usually show less desire to eat, which can be due to fatigue, lethargy or discomfort caused by cold symptoms. In fact, the relationship between colds and weight loss can be related to the reduction of food intake during the course of the disease. However, you should know that this type of weight loss is usually temporary and does not cause permanent weight loss, and it disappears after the person's appetite returns or the consumption of nutritious foods.

Learn more: Which fruits are good for colds?

3- The effect of fever and sweating on weight loss

Fever causes the body to lose water and Weight loss is temporary.

Fever is another common symptom of some types of colds and can cause increased sweating. When the body has a fever, it loses more water and this can lead to temporary weight loss. Also, some people get diarrhea along with fever, and in such conditions, the body loses a lot of water.

People who experience colds and weight loss due to fever and diarrhea usually experience 2 to 3 kilograms of weight loss. This weight loss is temporary and is caused by dehydration. As soon as the water in the body is compensated by receiving serum or natural fluids, the weight will return to its original state.

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4- The effect of cold medicines on weight

In some cases, the medicines used to reduce cold symptoms can be Temporarily affect appetite and absorption of nutrients. In fact, it can be said that there is no direct relationship between colds and weight loss with the drugs of this disease, but some drugs by affecting the body's metabolism and absorption of food lead to a slight weight loss.

Know more: herbal-teas-for-cold/>herbal teas for cold

What to do to prevent weight loss during a cold?

To lose weight and weaken the body during a cold, you should eat nutritious foods and drink plenty of fluids. Proteins, vitamins and fluids help the body to be more resistant to disease. That's why experts recommend to eat light soup, fruits containing vitamin C and warm drinks such as herbal teas when you have a cold. In addition to strengthening the immune system, these foods and drinks are useful for preventing unwanted weight loss.

Learn more: Whey Protein Ways to Lose Weight

Conclusion

A cold does not in itself cause weight loss, but it may temporarily, cause slight weight loss. This weight loss occurs due to loss of appetite, body water and increased metabolism; Therefore, after recovery, it usually returns to its original state. If you experience significant weight loss during the course of a cold, be sure to inform your doctor. Because the symptoms may be similar to a cold and the main source of the disease is somewhere else.

In this article from Dermankadeh magazine, we talked in detail about the connection between cold and weight loss and examined the factors that may cause weight loss during the course of the disease. If you have more questions about this, you can get online general practitioner visit through the website of the clinic Also, Dharmankade provides you with the possibility to visit the doctor of your choice through the online appointment system for a general doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Does a cold cause weight loss?

This disease It does not cause permanent weight loss by itself, but the physical changes it causes may temporarily cause a slight weight loss.

Is weight loss from a cold permanent?

No. Weight loss during the course of this disease is temporary and is usually caused by loss of appetite or loss of body water. For this reason, after recovery and the return of appetite, the body weight returns to its original state.

What factors cause weight loss in colds?

Factors such as decreased appetite, increased body metabolism, loss of body water due to fever or diarrhea, and some cold medicines may temporarily cause weight loss.

Sources: healthline | verywellhealth | quora

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