Some days, your usual mealtime rolls around and you realize you’re just…not interested. Nothing sounds good or looks remotely appetizing, yet it’s been hours since you last ate. That disconnect can be frustrating, especially if you’re normally someone who enjoys food. It can also feel somewhat worrisome if it keeps happening with no cause in sight.
A dip in appetite can happen for all sorts of reasons, from heat or stress to hormonal shifts or a new medication, explains Dr. Farhan Abdullah, M.D., a board-certified internist and medical director of Magnolia Functional Wellness. While some possibilities are cause for concern, many are temporary and no reason for alarm.
Ahead, experts break down possible reasons why your appetite has gone MIA, when it’s time to call your doctor, and the easiest ways to stay nourished until food starts sounding good again.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Dr. Farhan Abdullah, M.D., is a board-certified internist and medical director of Magnolia Functional Wellness. Jamie Baham, M.S., R.D.N., L.D., is a registered dietitian and owner of Ladybug Nutrition. Jenna Volpe, R.D.N., L.D., C.L.T. is a functional dietitian and herbalist.
1. You’re Sick or Recovering From Illness
There’s a reason your favorite foods suddenly lose their appeal when you’re fighting a virus or stomach bug. The inflammatory response involved in illness can temporarily suppress hunger, explains Jamie Baham, M.S., R.D.N., L.D., owner of Ladybug Nutrition. Symptoms like nausea, congestion, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea can make eating feel even less appealing.
The best thing you can do? Sip fluids regularly and try small portions of easy-to-digest foods as tolerated. Broth, toast, rice, bananas, yogurt, eggs, smoothies, and simple soups may feel more manageable while your system recovers, according to Baham.
If your appetite doesn’t return after your other symptoms resolve, bring it up with your healthcare provider.
2. Your Digestive System Isn’t Happy
It’s hard to feel excited about dinner when your stomach feels painfully full or uncomfortable. Constipation, bloating, reflux, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other digestive symptoms can all dial down appetite, warns functional dietitian Jenna Volpe, R.D.N., L.D., C.L.T. In some cases, she says people start eating less because they’ve learned certain foods only leave them feeling worse.
In addition to bringing up digestive issues with a doctor and (ideally) a registered dietitian, she recommends taking the extra precaution of chewing your food well. This can help break food down before it reaches the stomach. “Leaning into digestive enzymes and probiotic foods/supplements may also help make food easier to digest, to a certain extent,” she adds.
3. You Started (or Changed) a Medication
Another potential reason you’ve lost your appetite: your meds. A long list of medications can affect appetite, including GLP-1 medications, stimulants, certain antidepressants, antibiotics, pain medications, and metformin.
Sometimes, that drop in appetite means your medication is working. (GLP-1s, for example, stimulate a hormone responsible for feelings of fullness.) Other times, your dose may need adjusting or side effects may need to be addressed, notes Volpe.
Read More: 7 Potential Health Trade-Offs Of GLP-1 Drugs
Whatever you do, don’t stop taking a prescription on your own. Tell the clinician who prescribed it what’s changed and how much you’re actually managing to eat. From there, they may adjust your dose or timing, help manage side effects, or refer you to a dietitian.
4. You’re Stressed or Anxious
Some people reach for snacks when they’re stressed, while others lose interest in food altogether. “It’s very common to see loss of appetite following a new-onset episode of depression or anxiety, often following a breakup or loss of a loved one,” says Volpe. “Suddenly, food loses its appeal, and eating can feel more like a chore than something to look forward to.”
When appetite is dampened by stress, Volpe recommends choosing nutrient-dense, lower-volume, higher-calorie foods. That’s options like avocado, olive oil, nut butter, nuts, seeds, and full-fat dairy, if tolerated. High-calorie protein shakes alongside meals can also help when food alone isn’t cutting it. Abdullah also recommends small, balanced portions every few hours.
If you think your appetite loss might have to do with anxiety, depression, grief, or another mental health concern, always reach out to both your healthcare provider and a mental health professional.
5. Your Hormones Are Shifting
Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers. As such, they dispatch a lot of communication—some of which affects your hunger levels. Changes tied to perimenopause, menopause, thyroid issues, low testosterone, and other hormonal shifts can all mess with your appetite, energy, digestion, and metabolism.
The tricky part: A dip in appetite can crop up alongside symptoms correlated with stress or getting older. (Think: fatigue, sleep issues, hot flashes, weight changes, mood swings, etc.)
That said, instead of assuming hormones are to blame or simply trying to power through, Abdullah recommends talking through the full picture with your healthcare provider. Bloodwork and a medical history can shed light on whether hormones are lowering your appetite.
6. You’re Dealing With Heat or Dehydration
When it’s hot and humid, the last thing you might be craving is a heavy meal. Heat causes you to lose more fluid through sweat, and even mild dehydration can leave you feeling tired, nauseated, and less interested in food, Abdullah says.
Read More: 7 Signs You’re Dehydrated
He recommends keeping a water bottle nearby and sipping through the day instead of trying to catch up all at once. Plain water is usually enough, but Abdullah says an electrolyte drink may be helpful if you’re extra sweaty, experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, exercising for a long time, or spending hours in high heat.
Just try not to fill up on liquids right before you eat. Drinking most of your fluids between meals and sticking to roughly 8 ounces with a meal can help prevent you from feeling full before you’ve eaten much, Volpe adds.
7. Travel’s Thrown You Off
Travel can mess with pretty much every habit that normally keeps you feeling good. That includes your sleep, meal schedule, hydration, digestion, and even how often you go to the bathroom. Jet lag is notorious for disrupting your circadian rhythm, impacting appetite.
Try giving a travel day a little structure by setting reminders to eat, keeping easy snacks nearby, and carrying a water bottle. Abdullah also recommends trying to eat something small every few hours. Greek yogurt, toast with peanut butter and banana, chicken salad, a smoothie, or another protein-and-carb combo can give you some real fuel without feeling like a whole production.
8. You Have an Underlying Health Issue
Most of the time, a loss of appetite is temporary, but if yours has been persistent and unexplained, it could be a sign that something else is going on. Chronic conditions affecting the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, or nervous system can reduce appetite, explains Volpe. So can illnesses that cause ongoing pain, nausea, fatigue, changes in taste, or feeling full unusually quickly. In less common cases, appetite loss and unexplained weight loss may even be associated with cancer. There’s no reason to assume the worst right off the bat, but you shouldn’t ignore a change that isn’t resolving.
If your appetite stays low, if you’re having difficulty eating, or you’re experiencing unintentional weight loss, your best bet is to make an appointment with your healthcare provider Seek medical attention sooner if you’re also experiencing vomiting, abdominal pain, trouble swallowing, blood in your vomit or stool, or yellowing of your skin of eyes.
The Bottom Line
A few days of lower appetite can be totally normal, especially if you’re dealing with hot weather, travel, stress, illness, or a routine that’s been thrown completely off. But if the change sticks around, you’re losing weight without trying, or other symptoms start popping up, don’t just brush it off.
Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to figure out what might be behind it and make sure you’re not falling short on the nutrients your body needs, notes Abdullah. In the meantime, he recommends smaller portions, calorie-dense foods, fluids between meals, and drinkable options like smoothies or protein shakes to help you stay nourished without making every meal feel like a battle.