How to increase appetite in an adult to gain weight? How to increase appetite in an elderly person: the most effective ways.

In the absence of appetite, a person cannot eat as much food as his body needs. This leads to emaciation and weight loss. In underweight people, immunity deteriorates, bone tissue becomes fragile, and the risk of anemia increases. To increase appetite and gain weight, you need to change your lifestyle and diet.

Factors affecting appetite

A healthy person experiences a sufficient need for food in order to maintain a balance between calorie intake and their costs. But certain features of the body and diseases lead to a decrease in appetite, and this contributes to a decrease in body weight. These include:

• Avitaminosis;
• Bad habits: addiction to alcohol and smoking;
• adrenal insufficiency;
• Systemic depression, stress;
• Diabetes;
• Taking certain medications;
• Toxic poisoning of the body;
• Insufficient testosterone production in men.

A person can lose weight even with a good appetite, this indicates problems with metabolism and digestive disorders.

Lifestyle change

Body weight control involves not only changes in nutrition, but also making adjustments to the daily routine, giving up bad habits and other actions that are consistent with the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Smokers need to get rid of nicotine addiction. In most cases, people's appetite increases significantly in the first few days after giving up cigarettes.

Alcohol is a high-calorie substance, but regular consumption of alcohol for weight gain is not recommended. The point here is not only in harm to health, but also in the fact that the intake of alcoholic beverages contributes to the accumulation of water in the body and the formation of body fat, while not affecting the growth of muscle mass. Infrequent low-dose alcohol consumption (in the absence of medical contraindications) may benefit by increasing the tone of the digestive system and increasing appetite.

Compliance with the daily routine normalizes metabolism and adjusts the body to food intake at the same time. The minimum duration of sleep is 7-9 hours depending on age. It is best to go to bed at 11 pm or midnight and wake up at 7-8 am.

Sport

Approaches to sports activities when losing weight and when gaining weight are different. In the first case, you need to focus on aerobic exercises, in the second case, the body is given mainly anaerobic load. Physical activity is essential for both women and men. Sports allow you to gain high-quality muscle mass and minimize the formation of body fat. During exercise, a large amount of energy is expended, which contributes to an increase in the feeling of hunger.

You need to go to the gym at least 2-3 times a week. The emphasis is on multi-joint basic exercises that load several muscle groups at once: squats, bench presses (lying and standing) and traction. Also, the program should include work on simulators.

Here is an example of a simple three-day mass-gaining workout program:

• Monday: bench press with an average grip on a horizontal bench, breeding dumbbells lying, lifting the barbell for biceps while standing;
• Thursday: deadlift, pull-ups on the horizontal bar, barbell row in an incline;
• Sunday: Barbell Squat, Machine Leg Press, French Press.

If a person does not have the opportunity to lift heavy weights (for health reasons or due to the unpreparedness of the body), then dumbbells are used instead of a barbell when performing exercises. Do not completely ignore aerobic exercise. Morning jogging 2-3 times a week will have a positive effect on metabolism and increase body tone, and regular exposure to fresh air will increase appetite.

Nutrition

Appetite is influenced by diet and diet. Eating unhealthy foods contributes to the development of digestive tract diseases that can suppress hunger. If we take into account only the calorie content of the diet and do not pay attention to the ratio of the main organic compounds (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), then weight gain will be accompanied by the appearance of body fat.

To gain weight without negative consequences for the state of the body, you must follow the following principles of diet formation:

• The daily intake of carbohydrates is 4-5 g per 1 kg of body weight. 2/3 of this amount should come from cereals, vegetables, pasta, the remaining 1/3 should come from fruits and other low-fat sweet foods;
• The norm of protein per 1 kg of body weight is 1.5-2 g. Its source is meat, fish, dairy products;
• The amount of fat per kilogram of weight is 1-2 g. A third of this rate should be saturated fat.

The best way to boost your metabolism is to eat small, frequent meals. You need to eat 5-6 times a day. An example diet looks like this:

• Breakfast: porridge boiled in milk with fruit;
• Second breakfast: boiled meatballs or meatballs with pasta, fruit juice;
• Lunch: for the first - meat soup, for the second - boiled potatoes with boiled or fried fish, for the third - vegetable salad;
• Afternoon snack: milk with cookies or other flour product;
• Dinner: porridge with fruit, bread and butter;
• Second dinner (2 hours before going to bed): cottage cheese.

Fractional nutrition improves appetite, because after eating in small portions a person does not feel completely full and experiences slight hunger throughout the day.

Additional Products

To gain weight, it is not enough to have the main components in the diet, you need to provide the body with all trace elements, including vitamins (A, thiamine, riboflavin, B3, pyridoxine, E and C). Spices can increase appetite in an adult: cinnamon, ginger, mint, black pepper. They stimulate intestinal motility and increase the production of gastric juice. For the same purposes, citrus fruits are consumed, black tea and coffee are drunk. Pharmacies sell appetite-improving supplements: Peritol, Pernexin, peptides, adaptogens (Eleutherococcus, ginseng). But taking such drugs without first consulting a doctor is not recommended.

Testosterone increases the need for food. To cause an increase in its production, you can take testosterone boosters sold in sports stores. Unlike anabolic steroids, they are made from natural ingredients and are not banned.

Herbal infusions can also be beneficial. Here are some recipes:

• Wild chicory and cereal coffee are taken in a ratio of 2/3, crushed and brewed;
• Two teaspoons of medicinal dandelion are poured into 250 ml of cold water, the resulting mixture is infused for 5 hours and drunk before meals in an amount of 50 ml;
• Two tablespoons of lemon balm are ground and poured with 350 ml of boiling water, then infused for 4 hours. The finished product is taken in an amount of 100 ml 4 times a day.

Expected results

If the causes of reduced appetite are not chronic diseases, but an incorrect daily routine and an unbalanced diet, then when these factors are eliminated, it should be expected to increase within one to two weeks.

Under normal conditions, body weight does not change quickly. The first noticeable results will appear only after 1-2 months, subject to a healthy lifestyle and proper diet. But they will depend not only on the actions of a person, but also on innate factors such as gender, age and body type. A mesomorph man in the first 2 months can gain 3-5 kilograms of quality weight, while an ectomorph woman can only add 1-3 kg.

The need to eat food is inherent in us by nature, but there are cases when, for a sufficiently long time, this natural desire is absent.

Thanks to physical activity in young people, the need for food is restored quite quickly.

But if an elderly person has no appetite, what to do in this case?

Loss of appetite in older people almost always indicates functional disorders in the body caused by physical or emotional causes.

Prolonged lack of appetite in the elderly adversely affects the state of health and can lead to serious consequences.

Causes of Loss of Appetite in the Elderly

Loss of appetite in the elderly can be caused by a variety of reasons. Short-term lack of appetite in old age is quite common.

Anxiety should be caused by refusal to eat for a long time. In this case, the most likely cause of a gradual decrease in appetite, accompanied by weight loss, is the disease.

Diseases associated with loss of appetite include:

1. inflammatory diseases of the digestive system, intestines;
2. chronic and hepatic insufficiency, cirrhosis of the liver;
3. diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
4. various types of kidney infections;
5. , thyroid diseases, metabolic disorders and hormonal disruptions;
6. autoimmune diseases;
7. , and some other mental disorders, as well;
8. taking medications.

Lack of appetite in older people can be caused by bad habits or taste preferences, such as fatty foods.

Consequences of poor appetite

A complete lack of interest in food or poor appetite in old age is a very serious problem.

An insufficient amount of food does not give an elderly person the amount of nutrients and microelements necessary for normal life.

This condition, in addition to weight loss, is fraught with serious health problems.

Headache is one of the causes of poor appetite

General weakness, exhaustion of the body, exacerbation of chronic diseases, disruption of the brain and other vital organs - these are just the main consequences of poor appetite.

Prolonged ingestion of small amounts of food can cause muscle atrophy, musculoskeletal problems and, ultimately, death.

If left untreated, the consequences of poor appetite can develop into a complete loss of desire to eat, the so-called anorexia or cause sitophobia, in which a person is afraid to eat food because of the possibility of pain.

How to increase appetite in an elderly person with treatment

It is rather difficult to answer the question of how to increase the appetite of an elderly person. To do this, it is necessary to determine the root cause that caused a decrease or complete loss of appetite.

To do this, it is better to undergo a complete medical examination. But since it is quite difficult for an elderly person to do this, the examination is limited to a minimum set of diagnostic procedures.

These procedures include:

• detailed blood test;
• complete urinalysis;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, thyroid gland;
• fluoroscopy and gastroscopy of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Magnetic resonance imaging.

Further treatment is prescribed depending on the results of the diagnosis. If the cause of the lack of appetite was an illness, an appropriate treatment is prescribed for an elderly person, and at the end of it, usually, the appetite is restored.

As medicines, both antibiotics and drugs for the treatment of the cardiovascular system, hormone replacement drugs, insulin can act.

If loss of appetite poses a threat to the life of an elderly person and his physical condition allows, the doctor may prescribe special drugs that increase appetite.

These include certain iron supplements, anabolic steroids, pharmaceutical bitters, dopamine blockers and digestive activity regulators, and some dietary supplements.

They should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account possible side effects. In some cases, the question of how to increase the appetite of an elderly person is solved by surgery, chemotherapy.

In the absence of the need for food, caused by depressive states and mental disorders, in addition to sedatives, stimulants and, non-traditional methods are used such as physiotherapy using the latest medical devices,.

Quite often, especially in cases of senility, a full-fledged nutrition of an elderly person is possible only through the introduction of high-calorie mixtures into the body through a gastronomic tube.

To increase appetite, elderly people, depending on their physical condition, are also prescribed walks in the fresh air and minor physical activity.

Increasing appetite at home

How to increase the appetite of an elderly person at home? The answer to this question is deeply individual, because you can increase your appetite at home without visiting a specialist only in the absence of serious diseases.

For this, it is necessary, first of all, to review the diet of an elderly person. From the diet, it is necessary to exclude or minimize the consumption of sugary carbonated drinks and alcohol.

To improve appetite, almost any meal for an elderly person should start with vegetables and consist of favorite dishes and foods rich in protein, zinc, various vitamins and amino acids.

In the absence of restrictions, various spices and spices can be used to stimulate appetite. At home, you can also use herbal infusions that increase the desire to eat.

A good effect is given by tinctures of chamomile flowers, dill, lemon balm and peppermint. There are quite a few folk methods to increase appetite in the elderly.

One such way to stimulate appetite is to take an infusion of wormwood or dandelion half an hour before eating.

The use of lemon juice diluted in warm water, chicory, and yarrow juice by the elderly also stimulates food intake.

Improves the need for food and the general condition of the body freshly squeezed carrot juice. Decoctions prepared from centaury, angelica, sage and rue have a good effect.

Folk recipes for raising appetite at home are distinguished by the availability of medicinal plants, ease of preparation and use.

Conclusion

Most older people are able to control their food needs on their own, and although they sometimes suffer from loss of appetite, it is temporary, does not need treatment, and in most cases resolves on its own.

And in order for a temporary phenomenon not to develop into a serious problem requiring treatment, it is important to surround your loved ones with care and give them some of your time and attention.

Video: Appetite in old age determines aging

How to increase appetite in an adult - relevant practical recommendations may appear as an answer to this question, some of which are given below.

Great importance in terms of promoting a better appetite is given, first of all, of course, to the diet and menu. It is desirable to carry out daily meals at the same hours, if possible with a minimum discrepancy from the set time. Thanks to this, the body will be able to tune in to certain regular stable rhythms. Spontaneous snacking between main meals, dry food and on the go are negative factors for appetite, as they can “kill” it. Because of this, it is better to refrain from all such things. It is also very important to compose the menu in such a way that the content of the dishes eaten throughout the day is balanced in their ratio of the main nutrients, the required amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is present.

It is very important for the normal functioning of the entire human body, including the optimization of the mechanism of appetite, to follow a properly organized daily routine. The alternation of periods of wakefulness and time intervals intended for night rest should be such that sleep accounts for no less than an 8-hour period of time. In order to get enough sleep, have a good rest and restore strength as best as possible, it is recommended to go to bed no later than 23 hours and before that ventilate the room, in which the necessary peace and quiet must also be ensured.

There is no special need to remind once again about the importance of physical activity in a person's life. In this case, the benefit of frequent and long walks in the fresh air and sports is that during them considerable expenditure of strength and energy occurs. And as a result, the body signals the need to restore and replenish them with an emerging feeling of hunger and an appetite.

In the most wonderful way, it can be a positive factor for stimulating appetite, giving up such a bad habit as smoking. This decision is able to bring with it a double benefit. On the one hand, the negative impact on the body of inhaled tobacco smoke will stop, and on the other hand, in the first months, the former smoker experiences constant hunger, and as a result, his body weight increases.

Various life situations and stress factors that can negatively affect the change in the psycho-emotional state often lead to the fact that a person seeks to “seize” existing troubles by consuming a large amount of food. However, in most cases, the opposite happens - strong nervous tension causes a loss of interest in food and a significant decrease in appetite. Therefore, it is desirable to avoid negative emotions as much as possible.

Summing up everything we have considered, we can say that an increase in appetite in adults is achieved largely due to proper nutrition, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a sufficient level of physical activity, getting rid of bad habits, and combating stress.

Foods that increase appetite in adults

Products that increase appetite in an adult are primarily those that, due to the use of which, the digestive processes and the production of gastric and intestinal juice are activated. In this regard, it is indicative to eat pickles and pickled vegetables, pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, black radish, horseradish, onions and garlic. Food prepared with a large amount of salt and a variety of seasonings and spices, in particular coriander and chicory, also promotes digestion and stimulates appetite.

A number of fruits have a stimulating effect on appetite. Of citrus fruits, this statement is true mainly with regards to orange, grapefruit and lemon. Appetite is able to increase also thanks to apricot, sour peach, sour apples, pomegranate, olives.

When there is a need to increase appetite, the use of fruits of mountain ash, cranberries, blackberries and barberries can help in this case. Dandelion honey and coriander honey can also contribute to this.

Excitation of appetite occurs when chewing chewing gum. The explanation for this is that during a prolonged movement of the jaws, saliva is produced in large quantities - a phenomenon that is most directly related to the process of eating and preceding it. A similar effect of actualization of appetite is produced by toffee candy. Sweets in general, sweets and other confectionery products are distinguished by a high content of sugar, which also plays a significant role in stimulating appetite.

Of the drinks that can be involved in the fact that they will increase the appetite, it should be noted refreshing highly carbonated, such as Coca-Cola, lemon and pomegranate juices, carrot and apple juice. An increase in appetite is observed after drinking tea with sunflower, coffee, drinks containing alcohol, including beer, wine.

As becomes apparent from all of the above, there are a wide variety of foods that can have the most wonderful effect on appetite. Including them in the diet along with all other therapeutic measures in the presence of a problem of reduced or absent appetite will be another positive factor in its successful overcoming.

Vitamins that increase appetite in adults

To the greatest extent contribute to the increase in appetite in the state, first of all, those vitamins that belong to group B.

Of these, the first to be noted is vitamin B 1 - thiamine. With sufficient content in the human body, general well-being is maintained, digestive processes and gastric activity are regulated. Thanks to this vitamin, it becomes possible to prevent excessive fatigue and loss of strength, it contributes to a positive mood in the psycho-emotional sphere of a person and a good healthy appetite.

Next, let's call vitamin B 3 or nicotinic acid, which is vital for the functioning of the human body. Nicotinic acid is synthesized from tryptophan, which enters the intestines as part of food, in processes that also involve vitamins B2 and B6. and is a factor in increasing appetite.

Vitamin B 5 - calcium pantothenate or pantothenic acid is important for converting fats, carbohydrates, starch and sugar into the energy needed by the body. It occurs mainly in the mitochondria. Forming coenzyme A as a result of its transformation, vitamin B 5 is necessary in the processes of creating cholesterol and fatty acids.

Biotin, which is another name for vitamin B 7, is produced by the intestinal microflora, but this happens in small quantities, so it is necessary to ensure its entry into the body from the outside. The function of this vitamin is the regulation of blood sugar levels, control of glucose production and its participation in carbohydrate metabolism. It also contributes to the burning of fats and the absorption of proteins, and is also involved in the synthesis of beneficial intestinal microflora. The beneficial effect of this vitamin lies in the fact that with its participation some biologically active substances and fatty acids are formed.

Vitamin B 12, also known as cyanocobalamin, provides normal fat and carbohydrate metabolism, joining enzymes, is an important component of myelin and nucleic acid production, amino acid biosynthesis and transformation. It helps to increase the energy potential of the human body, contributes to the restoration of vitality, and can prevent the occurrence of depressive states.

An important role, both for the normal functioning of the whole organism, and in stimulating appetite in particular, is assigned to vitamin C, ascorbic acid. She takes an active part in redox processes, and in carbohydrate metabolism. With the involvement of ascorbic acid, some important neurotransmitters and hormones are synthesized, and folic acid is metabolized. Thanks to vitamin C, iron is better absorbed from food entering the body, ascorbic acid is also of great importance for the production of bile acids.

Vitamins that increase appetite in adults, therefore, are most effective in this matter, mainly those that are most directly involved in the processes of metabolism and energy synthesis occurring in the human body.

It is important to know!

Appetite is the psychological desire to eat, and is often related to specific foods. Our life depends on how hungry we feel: work, career, normal sensations in the stomach and intestines, and so on. Therefore, appetite is very important for someone who wants to be a successful and sought-after person.

Most people have an excellent appetite, which often leads to overeating and weight gain, so the problem of lack of appetite is perceived by many as something frivolous and far-fetched. And in vain. Low appetite can be temporary and caused by psychological aspects or the body's reaction to taking medications, or it can signal dangerous diseases, such as the occurrence of a cancerous tumor, and therefore you should not ignore it.

Causes of decreased appetite?

Before taking action to improve appetite, it is necessary to understand the reasons for its absence. If, for no apparent reason, a person’s lack of appetite lasts more than two weeks, it is recommended to urgently seek medical advice and check your health, perhaps the reason lies in serious diseases that require medical intervention and treatment.

Due to a number of emotional, psychological and physiological reasons, short-term loss of appetite can be observed in almost all adults. Frequent stress, emergencies, apathy and depression are the main causes of decreased appetite in adults. In pursuit of fashion and beauty, many girls regularly follow various diets for weight loss, which ultimately can lead to eating disorders and anorexia, which in its advanced form is fatal.

Reasons for lack of appetite in children may include:

• individual features of development,
• sweet snacks before meals,
• sedentary lifestyle,
• psychological pressure from adults,
• ill health or illness.

Having dealt with the causes of low appetite, it is necessary to take measures to increase it.

How to improve appetite

In order to increase your appetite, you need to make adjustments to your food culture and reconsider your diet, habits and preferences.

Ways to increase appetite:

• Fractional nutrition in small portions. It is better for the stomach to eat in small portions for better absorption of food. At the same time, you should not starve, breaks between meals should be no more than 3 hours.
• Diet variety. It is necessary to include favorite dishes in your diet, however, their constant use can soon get bored. Based on this, you need to regularly supplement your menu with new dishes and desserts, based on personal taste preferences.
• Meals should be at the same time. Eating at the same time will help to activate the stomach and secrete gastric juice, which will increase the feeling of hunger. Do not snack on sweets before meals. Half an hour before meals, it is better to eat a fruit or vegetable, drink a glass of freshly squeezed juice.
• Compliance with water balance. Dehydration of the body affects the loss of appetite, and therefore it is recommended to drink purified water without gas during the day, in the amount of 5-8 glasses, especially during intense physical exertion.
• Food culture. A beautifully set table and spectacular serving of dishes contribute to an increase in appetite. It is recommended to drink a glass of dry red wine or a bitter aperitif 15-20 minutes before a meal.
• Rejection of bad habits. Quitting smoking will help deprive the body of previously received pleasure, which he will look for in something else, often in food. Another bad habit for the body is the wrong daily routine. It is necessary to alternate work and rest, relax, and sleep at least 8 hours a day.
• Active lifestyle. Regular exercise is essential to increase appetite. We must try to walk longer in the fresh air, go in for sports, visiting the preferred sections, refuse to use the elevator.
• Taking vitamins. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body can affect the reluctance to eat, and therefore it is recommended to additionally take multivitamin complexes. Activates appetite ascorbic acid and vitamin B12.

In order to increase an adult's appetite and gain weight, it is necessary to change their lifestyle and eating habits. A sedentary lifestyle and bad habits (smoking, lack of sleep), as well as regular stress, reduce the desire to eat. Therefore, it is recommended to be outdoors more often, exercise regularly and exercise, and get enough sleep.

Eating should be a pleasure, and therefore it is important to set the table beautifully, eat slowly without rushing.You can eat a green apple 20-30 minutes before a meal., a slice of fresh lemon or drink a couple of spoons of cabbage juice, which will increase appetite due to the rise in insulin levels in the blood and stimulation of the gastric mucosa. Spices, spices and seasonings also increase appetite, and therefore it is recommended to add them when cooking.

No less effective methods of increasing appetite in adults: folk remedies ( tincture bitter wormwood, calamus, dandelions, chicory decoction), which can be prepared independently at home, as well as medicines that can be purchased at a pharmacy.

Drugs to increase appetite in adults:

• Allohol - take 2 tablets daily after meals.
• Ascorbic acid - take 2 tablets a day before meals for a month.
• Peritol - take 1 tablet 3 times a day before meals or 1-2 tsp. 3-4 times a day.

Lack of appetite in an elderly person can be associated with various diseases (intestines, stomach, liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus, disruptions in the endocrine system). With poor nutrition, older people may experience a breakdown, weakness, weight loss, due to a lack of trace elements necessary for the body, obtained from food.

At home, older people are advised to drink decoctions of herbs and herbal tea half an hour before meals. Stimulate appetite green vegetables, garlic, onions, citrus fruits, radish juice. Older people need to walk more often in the fresh air, engage in physical labor according to their strength. The body will begin to lose energy and there will be an incentive to compensate for it through food.

How to improve your child's appetite

Poor appetite in a child is a common phenomenon that worries many parents. You should not panic, first you need to analyze the child's lifestyle and correct the factors that affect the reluctance to eat. In no case should you force your child to eat, which can lead to psychological and nutritional disorders (disgust for food, vomiting).

It is recommended to start the day with morning exercises to music and water procedures, which will wake up the body and help increase the child's appetite. During the day, also do not forget about vigorous activity. Walking and outdoor games in the fresh air, especially before lunch and dinner, will help to work up an appetite.

Many children perceive food as a hindrance to play, and therefore refuse to eat. In order to change the situation you need to put food on a plate in small portions. A small portion is eaten by a child faster and without whims, in order to quickly return to their favorite pastime. All snacks between meals should be excluded so as not to interrupt the appetite.

From psychological tricks: creating a picture (animals, birds, faces) from dishes using sauces and vegetables, using plates with your favorite cartoon characters (to find out who is depicted at the bottom of the plate, you need to eat the whole portion). Recommended involve the child in the process of setting the table so that he has a desire to eat with adults.

Recipes to increase appetite

Wormwood tincture

Wormwood tincture

Ingredients:

• Wormwood dry 1 tsp;
• Water 2 cups.

Cooking method:

1. Pour a teaspoon of dry wormwood with boiling water, brew like tea.
2. Let it brew for 20 minutes, then strain.

Take bitter wormwood tincture 30 minutes before meals, 0.25 cup 2-3 times a day.

Dandelion tincture

Dandelion tincture

Ingredients:

• Dandelion roots 1 tsp;
• Water 250 ml.

Cooking method:

1. A teaspoon of dandelion roots is poured with boiling water, then brought to a boil again.
2. Then you need to turn off the gas, cover the pan with a lid and let it brew for 1 hour.

Take tincture of dandelions 1 tablespoon half an hour before meals 3 times a day.

Calamus tincture

Calamus tincture

The article describes the causes of loss of appetite, and lists options for solving the problem. You will also learn why the key to success in bodybuilding is 50% dependent on nutrition.

A healthy appetite is the key to the correct set of muscle mass. Appetite is one of the main indicators of the intensity of training. If after class you have an irresistible desire to eat something, it means that the training was compiled correctly, and the natural process of restoring the body's strength is underway.

But, unfortunately, such a desire does not always arise. But without the consumption of the required amount of food, recovery processes are slower. Accordingly, muscle growth also slows down.

Reasons for lack of appetite

In addition to the fact that lack of appetite may be due to individual eating habits or insufficient training intensity, the cause is sometimes more serious. Before you start increasing the feeling of hunger by any means, you should make sure that you have no pathologies that could cause appetite disorders. These include:

• diseases of the digestive tract - gastritis, ulcers, etc.;
• pathological processes in the liver or gallbladder;
• mental disorders, depression;
• malignant neoplasms;
• inflammatory, infectious processes in the body.

If you have identified any deviation in the functioning of the body, immediately consult a doctor, and only after that resort to methods to increase appetite.

It can also be caused by taking certain types of medications and bad habits, such as alcohol abuse and smoking. Another possible reason for a lack of appetite can be poor digestion, as a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and discomfort discourages the desire to eat anything.

In this case, you should initially deal with this problem, and then improve your appetite. For digestion, enzymes will become useful, they help break down food and absorb useful trace elements. Let there always be a plate of Festal, Mezim or Pancreatin with you.

How to improve appetite

For a bodybuilder, it is important to get the required amount of protein from food, since it is this element that leads to muscle growth. But proteins are quite bulky and the stomach needs much more time to digest them than, for example, carbohydrates. Therefore, the daily rate of protein food provided for a bodybuilder is quite difficult to absorb.

But there is a way out of every situation. There are certain recommendations that help increase appetite, here are some of them:

1. Eat more often, but less - this will allow you not to overfill the stomach, and it will take less time to break down food. Accordingly, the feeling of hunger will come faster.
2. To avoid disgust for any product, even if you really like it, you should systematically add variety to the diet.
3. Eating before bed leads to a drop in blood glucose levels, which will cause an increase in appetite in the morning.
4. Before eating, drink a glass of sour juice, it stimulates the receptors and increases the feeling of hunger.
5. Sour juice can be replaced with a slice of lemon or a solution of ascorbic acid. The effect will be the same.
6. Walking in the fresh air and physical activity help to increase the desire to eat something.
7. We should not forget about the psychological factor, because the desire to eat something is initially formed as a signal from the brain. A beautifully laid table, an appetizing looking dish and a pleasant aroma will certainly make you want to eat.

Herbs that increase appetite

Collections of various herbs have always been considered excellent helpers for various diseases, and lack of appetite was no exception.

For these purposes, it is customary to use fees with a bitter aftertaste. They contribute to moderate irritation of the gastric mucosa and reflexively cause a feeling of hunger. Their main advantage is almost complete safety for the body, since they do not cause side effects.

Herbal preparations should be carefully taken by people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and those who are prone to allergic reactions.

The best herbs and fees to improve appetite, which can be easily purchased at a pharmacy, are:

• centaury;
• calamus root;
• bitter tincture;
• sagebrush;
• appetizing collection;
• dandelion root.

A decoction of these herbs should be taken half an hour before meals, three times a day. It will be enough for a third of a glass at a time.

Appetite enhancers

Pernexin. This elixir has a moderate degree of increase in appetite, all of its components are of natural origin, so its use is considered safe. The drug contains a whole complex of vitamins, especially group B, as well as iron and sodium glycerophosphate.

Peritol has a high degree of impact on the receptors responsible for the feeling of hunger. The main effect of the drug is the blocking of receptors that suppress appetite. The drug has contraindications, side effects may also occur.

Of the contraindications, the main ones are:

• increased intraocular pressure;
• asthma;
• gastritis or stomach ulcer;
• age after 50 years.

Side effects may include:

• nausea;
• headache;
• spasm of the stomach;
• dizziness;
• sense of anxiety.

Insulin. This tool is especially popular among bodybuilders, as it has a pronounced anabolic effect. In addition, it enhances appetite. The desire to eat appears after 20-30 minutes after the administration of the drug. But the drug requires caution in use. Before using it for injection, you should consult a doctor.

Steroids. Almost all anabolic stimulants cause an improvement in appetite, as this is an integral part in the growth of muscle mass. Primobolan is considered the best for these purposes. But we should not forget about all the possible side effects that are characteristic of this group of drugs.

Bioadditives and vitamins. The main vitamin, the decrease in the amount of which in the body causes a lack of appetite, is considered B12, and it is its consumption that should be increased. Its best source is ascorbic acid. In addition, you should take the whole complex of vitamins, especially group B.

Iron preparations also proven to be effective in combating lack of appetite. They should be taken with meals. But an excessive amount of iron or an individual intolerance to this component can cause an upset in the digestive system. Medicines containing iron - Fenyuls, Ferrum Lek, Sorbifer.

There are also supplements sold in pharmacies. For example, Limontar based on citric and succinic acid, or Stimuvet, which contains a complex of vitamins. But practice has shown that their effect is assessed as low.

As a rule, appetite worsens in the summer. When it's hot outside, the desire to eat is drastically reduced. If for an ordinary person it is even useful to throw off a couple of extra pounds, then for a bodybuilder this is a serious problem. All the kilograms that the athlete will lose are cherished muscles, since, in principle, he no longer has fat.

If everything is already completely difficult, and taking certain drugs and medicines gives only a temporary effect, but you still need to eat, use protein shakes. Of course, they cannot and should not replace your main diet, but they will still bring 20-25% of the necessary protein to the body. Remember about vitamins, active training and healthy sleep, and then you will not have problems with appetite.

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