IBD and Weight Loss
Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD is an umbrella term for two chronic conditions that affects the gastrointestinal tract: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Both diseases may have overlapping symptoms, such as diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, or an urgency for bowel movements. There is currently no cure for IBD. However, many treatment options are available to manage the symptoms and keep these conditions in remission. [1]
Since IBD affects the gastrointestinal tract, it may lead to many digestive issues. It is not uncommon for people with these chronic diseases to experience unwanted weight loss. This may be caused by different reasons, such as medication side effects or specific symptoms. For instance, abdominal pain and nausea would lead to a loss of appetite, making it hard to keep or gain weight. Others may lose weight since they have to avoid some foods in the diet that would result in gastrointestinal distress. In addition, many people with IBD, especially Crohn’s disease would have difficulty with food digestion and nutrient absorption. This may result in malabsorption, another common cause of weight loss. [2]