Clean diet. Regular exercise. Still gaining weight. Before you blame willpower or hormones, consider what might be living in your gut, and what it's doing to your cortisol, thyroid, and insulin.
Key Takeaway
Parasitic infections drive weight gain through multiple mechanisms simultaneously: they spike cortisol (increasing fat storage), suppress thyroid function, cause insulin resistance through gut dysbiosis, and create malabsorption that triggers constant hunger. Treating the parasite often resolves what no diet or medication has been able to.
Are you unable to lose weight despite a healthy diet? Are you exercising but not seeing results? You may have a parasitic infection.
Parasites are an overlooked root cause for chronic illnesses. A parasite's goal is to live a life undetected and unharmed, so they succeed at this by causing symptoms such as: chronic fatigue, thyroid problems, nutritional deficiencies, acne, gastrointestinal issues, mental disorders, and all sorts of conditions that are deemed as incurable illnesses by conventional medicine. In fact, conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, bipolar disorder, eczema/psoriasis, POTS syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome may be caused by a parasitic infection.
Weight gain is common amongst people with chronic illnesses. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), "more than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or have obesity."
How Do Parasites Cause Weight Gain?
Parasites have many mechanisms that contribute to weight gain:
- Sugar and Carbohydrate Cravings: Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is responsible for regulating metabolism and immune responses. When cortisol is released, it creates sugar, fat, and carbohydrate cravings for energy. Parasites have the ability to increase cortisol levels. A chronically-high level of circulating cortisol increases fat storage. Additionally, nutrient deficiencies caused by parasitic infections may trigger sugar and carbohydrate cravings.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Parasites cause nutrient deficiencies by creating gastrointestinal malabsorption. According to a 2017 study, "parasitic infections have been shown to impair micronutrient absorption." Parasites also damage the tight junctions and gut barrier (creating leaky gut). Nutrient deficiencies are correlated with both weight gain and weight loss. In the instance of weight gain, malabsorption creates hunger, making the infected person continually eating without feelings of fullness.
- Thyroid Dysregulation: Parasites have the ability to suppress the thyroid as a survival mechanism, since the thyroid plays a direct role in the immune system. Suppression of the thyroid creates a hormonal imbalance that can lead to unexplained weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, and more.
- Inflammation: Parasites cause inflammation in the entire body, especially in the gut, which can lead to water retention, weight gain, and many more symptoms. Gut inflammation can lead to food sensitivities and leaky gut that further exacerbates the inflammatory cycle.
- Insulin Resistance: Due to the gut dysbiosis caused by a parasitic infection, parasites can promote insulin resistance by causing a disrupted lipid metabolism as well as increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Insulin resistance is one of the leading causes for type 2 diabetes and unexplained weight gain.
What to Do If You Suspect a Parasitic Infection?
If you suspect a parasitic infection, it is not advised to begin a parasite protocol without the help of a practitioner. Without proper drainage pathways being open, a die-off reaction may occur that will cause more harm than good without proper supervision.