Overview

How do I know if I'm underweight? An underweight person is one whose body weight is deemed insufficient to be healthy. Someone who is underweight is malnourished. If a person is underweight, their body may not be getting the nutrients it needs to build healthy bones, skin and hair. Underweight or Malnutrition is an imbalance between the nutrients your body requires to function and the nutrients it receives. 

Malnutrition can be caused by a lack of calories in general, or by protein,  vitamin, or mineral deficiency. Osteoporosis anaemia, fatigue and other related symptoms or signs may occur. While some people may have a genetic predisposition or a medical condition that prevents them from gaining weight, doctors can recommend interventions to help them gain weight.

Causes

• Genetics, inadequate nutrition, absorption, elevated metabolic rate or energy expenditure, hunger (often brought on by poverty) 

• Appetite-suppressing medications for physical or mental illness or eating disorder 

• Anorexia nervosa can contribute to being underweight. 

• Several illnesses, such as type 1 diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer and tuberculosis, are linked to underweight individuals.

• Individuals who suffer from gastrointestinal or liver issues might not properly absorb nutrients.

Symptoms

• Fatigue and listlessness.

• Low blood pressure, low blood sugar 

• Dizziness, nausea, and cold 

• Frequent illness and infections.

• Hair thinned or lost. 

• They may even have difficulty sleeping and experience muscle cramps due to a lack of vitamins and minerals.

Ayurvedic View

Krusha- this can be due to nutrition deficiency in the person due to vata aggravating ahara (food) like ruksha anna sevana (dry, less nutritive food), excess langana (fasting), ati shrama (involving oneself in overexertion activities), along with shoka (depression), etc, beeja dushti (genetic factor also plays a role) leading to shoshana (depletion) of all rasadi dhatus (body tissues), this is the reason for underweight. The Ayurveda way of approach is to correct agni (metabolism), bring dosha back to a balanced state by panchakarma treatment and to give instructions about a proper nutritive balance diet, help the patient to 

Gain weight naturally.