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excessive weight loss

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:39 pm
by robert birchell
A question about climbers who cut 10-15 lbs off normal body
weight. Do you think it would show up in blood work
as low levels of protein, albumin, and globulin????
Bob

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:31 pm
by powen01
Depends on how you cut it, wouldn't it? What do you mean by normal body weight?

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:54 pm
by dustonian
I doubt it. Paging Dr. Lurk for a consult....?

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:59 pm
by the lurkist
probably not. depends on what your weight was prior to the 10-15 lbs. If you were already at lean body mass, thin, fit, muscular guy and you shed 15 lbs, you would be loosing muscle mass. To do this you would most likely have to starve yourself. When you say excessive wt loss to an internist, we think illness, cachexia, possibly malignancy, malabsorbtion- crohns, inflammatory bowel disease, anorexia- but fundamentally caloric and protein malnutrition. So for you, provided you were already thin without undue body fat, there might be telltale blood chemistry data that would indicate malnutrition- like you said, albumin might be low, total protein might be low. Mostly healthy people have a difficult time fucking themselves up like this, though. Anorexic young women, yes, cancer patients/ chronically ill patients, yes, concentration camp prisoners, yes, climbers, probably not.
You might be able to loose 15 lbs if you have fifteen lbs of fat to loose (like most Americans) and there would be no change in blood tests.

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:41 pm
by Andrew
Since when was 10 pounds excessive weight loss. Maybe if you only weigh 50 pounds.

thanks doc

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:38 pm
by robert birchell
Thanks to the Lurkist
You nailed it. (already thin)
I'll just increase my protein in take and cut back on some carbs.
Bob

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:20 pm
by Andrew
Height and weight bob. Lets see if you can beat me.

ok

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:02 pm
by robert birchell
Andrew
6 feet
148 lbs
Chol/HDL ratio is 2
33 years climbing (64 years old)
never dropped anyone
always wear helmet
Goal=be the best belayer around
By the way I purchased some climbing holds from
Teknik because you said you liked them.
I got the flaps and like them.
Good luck to you.

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:48 pm
by One-Fall
6 foot 148lbs!!!!!!! Now THAT is a good goal for me. You tha man, Bob.

Im 6 foot, weighed 200, now weight 176. So a few more to go!

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:50 pm
by pigsteak
wow..am I super fat....almost 5' 11" and 190 lbs....

but I am down off of my winter high of 196 and shooting for 175 by fall...