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Questions and AnswersQuestion No.: 18397 Submitted By: SS Submitted on: July 12, 2008 Subject: underweight 25 year old Question: I'm 25, several years removed from the service and have let myself become lazy. In an effort to recover from this before it becomes irreparable, I've really been looking into multivitamins ans supplementation. I've "exercised", but sometimes my heart just isn't in it and I don't see the results I'd like and it becomes even more discouraging. I've always been underweight, a hardgainer. I try to stimulate some appetite, but find myself having to force food down. I'm tired, I don't get proper nutrition, and am becoming fearful for my immune system and such. What vitamins and supplementation would benefit me? What can I do about my often hopeless attitude about the whole thing? What are some other concerns a guy my age should start looking into? Dr. Cinque's Answer: I'm reluctant to give you much advice because I don't know enough about you. At 25, you should be in the prime of your life and not feeling tired and despondent. It is a very difficult problem when a person is chronically underweight. And the concern is that slight underweight can develop into severe overweight, what some call scary thin. Just this weekend I saw a picture of a well known male celebrity who has always been on the thin side but recently (apparently) has fallen into a state of being severely underweight. He looks ghastly. So, you've got to watch it and make sure it doesn't get out of control. Multivitamins might help, but probably not a lot. At least not in my experience. And stuffing yourself with food as though you were a competitive eater is not only very uncomfortable, but it's harmful to your system in numerous ways. So that's out. You just can't force it. It would be great if you could find a nutritional doctor to work with whom you could trust. In some cases like this, I do recommend protein drinks because I find that they can be squeezed in between meals without causing disruption. Eating smaller and more frequent meals may facilitate greater caloric consumption over the course of the day without stuffing. And if you have any depression or anxiety going on that is diminishing your appetite, that should be dealt with too. One thing is for sure: you should be feeling good, and you should be at your strongest right now. So, if you are feeling poorly, you definitely need to get started with a total health program, and preferably with professional help. |
