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What Causes Muscle Atrophy?
Dr. Rynne, what are causes of muscle wasting? My son is alcoholic/smokes , lives at a high altitude in the colorado mountains with bad water....molybdenum mines, etc. there that taint the water. He eats good, has lost weight and can t regain it. Is not diabetic. Bowels and bladder good..... has cardiovascular disease but on very few meds. Statins for one. I think of slow-growing cancer or what? Thank you so much.
Tue, 3 Oct 2017
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
You mentioned that he is an alcoholic and also smokes, both of these are risk factors for disease and can be associated with weight loss in some persons.
They can cause this on their own or they may cause different illnesses such as liver disease or different cancers.
He should consider assessment such as physical examination and blood tests including complete blood count and ESR (looks for inflammation in the body)
Liver and kidney function tests may also be requested
I hope this helps
You mentioned that he is an alcoholic and also smokes, both of these are risk factors for disease and can be associated with weight loss in some persons.
They can cause this on their own or they may cause different illnesses such as liver disease or different cancers.
He should consider assessment such as physical examination and blood tests including complete blood count and ESR (looks for inflammation in the body)
Liver and kidney function tests may also be requested
I hope this helps
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