Hyperphagia: symptoms, causes and treatment

Hyperphagia appears when we develop the habit of eating too much and in an uncontrolled manner.

There are times when we eat more, and other times less... this is normal, since hunger is influenced by many factors, such as: stress, lifestyle, daily worries, mood...

But what happens when we overeat, or when we have an excess of hunger? Then we are talking about a more serious problem? hyperphagia. In this article we will see what it is, what are its symptoms, its causes (which may be medical and / or psychological) and possible treatments for it.

Hyperphagia: what is it?

The word hyperphagia comes from the Greek word "hyper-" (meaning abundance, excess) and the term "-phagia" (meaning to eat). In other words, technically it is translated as an increase in food intake, produced by an increase in appetite (although the cause may be different).

Thus, in hyperphagia (also called polyphagia), in hyperphagia (also called polyphagia) there is an excessive increase in appetite, which is combined with uncontrolled food intake.. It usually occurs without apparent cause, although throughout the article we will try to investigate its causes, which often have to do with medical or hormonal issues, beyond the psychological ones.

People suffering from hyperphagia are unable to differentiate when they feel real appetite and when they feel anxiety, and therefore overeat in both situations. The cycles of uncontrolled eating in people with hyperphagia can vary greatly from one person to another, and we find persistent cycles of appetite, and cycles of more or less appetite (which vary).

The direct consequence of hyperphagia, in addition to many others that may be less visible to the naked eye, is an increase in body weight, overweight or obesity (which does not always have to appear).The direct consequence of hyperphagia, in addition to many others that may be less visible to the naked eye, is an increase in body weight, overweight or obesity (which does not always have to occur). This overweight or obesity can lead to cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

Symptoms

The symptoms of hypergagia are as follows.

1. Increased appetite/compulsive urge to eat

It may be that an increased appetite is present, or that it is not really an increased appetite, but rather a "craving for food" or a the need to eat in an impulsive and/or uncontrolled manner.. This would be the main symptom of hyperphagia.

Feeling of guilt

Associated with the previous symptom, there is often a feeling of guilt for having overeaten. guilt for having eaten in excess.

3. Preference for sugary or fatty foods

Another symptom of hyperphagia is the preference, on the part of the sufferer, for high-calorie foods with a high fat and/or sugar content (e.g. sweets, industrial pastries, fried foods, etc.).

4. Overweight or obesity

As we have already seen at the beginning, the fact of suffering from hyperphagia can lead to problems of overweight or even obesity, which in turn can cause diseases of different types, especially cardiovascular and endocrine (e.g. diabetes).

5. Digestive problems

Another consequence of hyperphagia is digestive problems, which can occur due to appear due to uncontrolled or excessive eating, which makes us unable to digest food properly..

Causes

The causes of hyperphagia can be diverse, although it is true that they are usually related to more emotional issues, as is often the case with food. However, they can also be related to hormonal alterations. Let's take a look at some of the most frequent causes:

1. Anxiety

Anxiety is an altered psychophysiological state, in which the person can suffer different symptoms such as insomnia, palpitations, dizziness, malaise, irritability, depressive symptoms, catastrophic thoughts...

In turn, anxiety is one of the possible causes of hyperphagia. The fact of suffering from anxiety can lead many people to eat more, not so much because they have more appetite, but because that anxiety gives rise to the need to eat. Thus, erroneously, the body associates anxiety with hunger.

2. Bulimia

Suffering from bulimia is another cause of hyperphagia. Thus, many patients with this behavior disorder many patients with this eating disorder (ED) may develop hyperphagia..

After eating, however, they usually apply compensatory behaviors to counteract the "excess" food they have eaten (e.g. vomiting, use of laxatives, intense physical exercise, etc.).

3. Grave's disease

The causes of hyperphagia can also be medical and/or endocrine, as in the case of Grave's disease. This disease consists of an autoimmune thyroiditis that stimulates the thyroid gland.. One of its symptoms can be hyperphagia.

4. Diabetes mellitus

The disease diabetes mellitus, which has as its main symptom an excess of glucose (sugar) in the blood, can also lead to hyperphagia. Let us remember that it can also happen the other way around; that hyperphagia can lead to diabetes (in this case, type II).

5. Diabetes of pregnancy

In this case, diabetes also involves excess glucose in the blood, although the etiology is different, and it appears during pregnancy. It can also cause hyperphagia in pregnant women.

6. Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism, an autoimmune disease of the endocrine system that occurs when the thyroid gland secretes the hormone thyroxine in excess.can also cause hyperphagia. Thus, people with this disease are more at risk of gaining weight for this and other reasons.

7. Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition that involves low levels of glucose in the blood.and can also cause hyperphagia.

8. Premenstrual syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome encompasses a series of physiological and psychological symptoms that appear in women, which begin during the second half of the menstrual cycle.

These symptoms often include hyperphagia, although not always; some women feel just the opposite, lack of appetite or bloating.

9. Medications

Finally, certain types of medications can also produce, among their side effects, hyperphagia. Some of the most common are: corticoids, antidepressants and antihistamines..

Treatment

The treatment of hyperphagia requires addressing the cause of the increased intake and/or appetite. If the cause is anxiety, should be approached from a multidisciplinary perspective, ideally with the participation of the psychiatrist and the psychologist.. The important thing is to break the cycle of "anxiety ⇒ anxiety about eating ⇒ uncontrolled or excessive eating".

Thus, from psychotherapy, the patient should be taught to correctly identify the physiological signs of his body that indicate that he is hungry, and to differentiate these signs from his own anxiety or nervousness.

On the other hand, if the causes of hyperphagia are medicinal or medical, a medical professional should be consulted so that he can adjust the type of medication and the appropriate dosage for the patient, or so that he can make a proper medical diagnosis if he does not already have one. In these cases, what is usually done is to perform a Blood and urine test; the functioning of the thyroid gland is also assessed (to rule out hyperthyroidism, among others).

Bibliographic references:

• AS Aragón, SCR López, MED Velasco and GM Cruz. (2018). Emotions and cognitions of a man with hyperphagia: a case study. International Digital Journal of Psychology and Social Science, 4(2): 24-37.
• DL Córdoba, AEK Cacho and MHC Morales. (2002). Relationship between overeating and emotion management: an experience with students. Psicología y Salud, 12(2).
• MedLine Plus, Medical Encyclopedia. (2020). Premenstrual syndrome.
• Sanitas, Health Library [online]. (2019). Increased hunger (hyperphagia).