Appetite refers to the desire to eat. When you’re hungry, signals from the empty stomach and intestines, along with hormones, increase your appetite.
Besides hunger, other factors such as stress, sleep, medications, pregnancy, weight changes, and health conditions can change appetite.
The hypothalamus—a part of your brain—plays a key role in controlling hunger and satiety. When you’re hungry, the body sends messages to the brain through nerves and hormones. When you don’t eat for a while:
- Your stomach and intestines produce contractions because they’ve been empty for some time.
- The stomach produces a hormone called ghrelin (also known as the hunger hormone).
- Blood glucose (sugar) levels drop due to the absence of food.
- Insulin levels fall when blood glucose levels drop.
The hypothalamus receives these signals. As a result, it triggers food-seeking behavior and increases appetite.
When hungry, you can experience:
- Rumbling stomach. This happens because fluid and gas move in the stomach due to contractions.
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Impatience
- Difficulty concentrating
- Drowsiness
- Physical weakness
- Coldness
- Sleepiness
Causes of reduced appetite include:
- Aging: As you get older, your appetite can go down. This can happen because of changes in hormones, taste, and sense of smell. Age-related factors like health problems, trouble eating, and needing less energy can also make you feel less hungry.
- Cancer: Appetite loss is common in people who have cancer or are going through cancer treatment.
- Chronic conditions: Chronic conditions such as kidney, liver, or lung disease can cause appetite and weight loss. This can be dangerous if it leads to malnutrition (under-nutrition).
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid): Thyroid hormones play an important role in regulating metabolism and energy use. They interact with other hormones in the body, including those that control hunger and satiety. Hypothyroidism can lower appetite by influencing hormones involved in appetite control and body weight.
- Inflammation: Infections and diseases can cause inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the immune system’s response to fight against infection or disease. However, both short- and long-term inflammation can lower appetite.
- Pregnancy: In the first three months of pregnancy, nausea and vomiting are common. This can lower appetite in some pregnant individuals.
- Medications: Some medications, such as antibiotics, cancer treatments, and pain medications like codeine and morphine, can lower appetite.
- Eating disorders: Eating disorders are often linked to restrictive or excessive eating, which can disrupt hunger and satiety cues over time, leading to changes in appetite.
- Stress: Psychological stress and emotions such as sadness and grief can suppress appetite.
- Depression: People with depression, especially major depressive disorder (MDD), often have changes in their appetite. They may feel less hungry, which could be caused by higher levels of a stress hormone called cortisol. One study found that 76% of young people with MDD had a low appetite.
Here are some tips that can help you eat more:
- Eat more often in smaller portions: Your body needs nutrients to work well. If your appetite stays low for a long time, it’s important to eat more. Try eating smaller meals more often to get the energy and nutrients your body needs.
- Be physically active: Aerobic exercise can increase appetite. A study showed that aerobic exercise increased subjective appetite and food cravings in people who do not regularly exercise. You can try light aerobic exercises such as walking, swimming, biking, and dancing.
- Stick to regular meal times: It’s easy to miss meal times when you don’t have the desire to eat. You can set alarms to remind yourself to eat, even if it’s just small portions. This could support your body’s energy and nutrient needs.
- Focus on foods you enjoy: Don’t force yourself to eat foods you don’t like. Enjoying your food can help you eat more and get the energy your body needs. Look for small changes in your meals that make them more palatable for you, whether it’s adding your favorite sauces or seasonings.
- Eat enough protein: Your body needs protein for every function. When you don’t get enough energy and protein for a long time, the body breaks down muscle. Malnutrition and muscle loss are common in people who lose their appetite due to chronic conditions and cancer. You can add more protein sources throughout the day in smaller portions.
- Choose energy-dense foods: Large portions of food can be unappealing when you have a low appetite. You can get more calories in smaller portions by adding calorie-rich ingredients like nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocados, olive oil, and full-fat dairy to your meals.
- Make meals visually appealing: Your body gets hunger signals from seeing and smelling food. If you make your meals look appetizing, you might want to eat more. The same goes for the smell—if food smells good, it can make you feel hungry.
- Avoid drinking too much water or fluid during meals: Fluids and water add volume and stretch the stomach. Stomach fullness is a satiety cue. Avoid drinking too much water or liquids with meals, as this can give the stomach the false impression that it’s full.
- Eat more often with family and friends: If you don’t enjoy eating alone, you can invite a friend or family member to eat with you. This could make eating more enjoyable, leading to eating more.
- Keep your go-to foods on hand: Keeping your favorite foods stocked can help you access them more easily and eat more, especially when you don’t have the energy to prepare them. Non-perishable items or foods that last a long time in the fridge can be good options.
- Drink smoothies when you can’t eat solid foods: You can make smoothies at home with nutrient-rich ingredients such as Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds, fruit, and vegetables. This could help you get enough energy when you’re having a hard time eating solid foods.
Many people experience a loss of appetite due to infection or disease. However, your appetite should return once you recover. You should consult your healthcare provider if you experience a prolonged loss of appetite, regardless of the cause.
Sudden weight loss can be a sign that you need medical attention. If you lose more than 10 pounds unintentionally, you should speak to your doctor. This could be a sign of an underlying health condition, and delaying medical care can pose health risks.
Many things can cause a loss of appetite, including infections, chronic conditions, aging, pregnancy, medications, eating disorders, and cancer treatment. You can support your appetite by making small changes, such as eating foods you love, having small, frequent meals, sticking to regular meal times, and staying physically active. If your appetite doesn’t return, talk to your doctor.
