Weight loss is common in Parkinson’s disease but the exact cause may not always be obvious as it can occur both in the early or late stage of the disease. The basic problem leading to weight loss is that the calorie intake through food is less than
Weight loss is common in Parkinson’s disease but the exact cause may not always be obvious as it can occur both in the early or late stage of the disease. The basic problem leading to weight loss is that the calorie intake through food is less than the calories used up through hyperkinetic movements, such as tremors. The need for a sufficient calorie intake through a healthy and balanced diet for a person with Parkinson’s disease is essential to prevent significant weight loss.
Other Reasons for Weight Loss in Parkinson’s Disease
There may be other contributing factors for the weight loss noticed in Parkinson’s patients and these include :
- Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing discourages adequate intake of solid food, especially in the late stage of the disease.
- Loss of appetite, very often due to depression or anxiety, may be a factor.
- Difficulty in eating due to symptoms of Parkinson’s disease such as tremor, rigidity or bradykinesia (slowness in initiation of movement).
- Dementia or other mental disturbances in a patient with Parkinson’s disease may prevent proper feeding.
- Some patients restrict their food intake, especially proteins, as it “turns off’ the effect of levodopa.
- Medicines used for treating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may have certain side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, heartburn, dry mouth or loss of appetite which discourages proper fo