ABSTRACT
Loss of appetite and loss of weight are common at altitude. Initially these may be due to acute mountain sickness (AMS). At heights below about 4500 m appetite returns after a few days but at more extreme altitudes anorexia persists and may get worse. Weight loss on an altitude trip can have many causes. On trek, initial weight loss may be the shedding of excess fat caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Intestinal infections can cause diarrhea and weight loss. High on the mountain, unavailability of food and liquid can be the cause but even in the absence of these factors weight loss is seen, as in long-term chamber studies.
