Health Issues When Gaining Weight

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi there,

I am a 26 year old male, 5’ 7" tall and have been lifting for around 3 years. When I first started lifting I weighed 130lbs. I decided to put weight on and within 6 months or so I was around 165lbs and my lifts had increased considerably. However, I often struggled with the amount of food I needed to eat to gain weight but forced it down anyway, sometimes to the point of throwing up. At this time I started experiencing physical shaking and light-headedness after almost every meal. I saw two doctors at the time, both seemed unconcerned. One told me that I had reactive hypoglycaemia and told me to eat less, regardless of my goals in the gym. I followed their advice as I was worried about causing long term damage to my health. Fast-forward 2 years and I am now around 155lbs and tired of not making significant progress in my lifts. I am planning to bulk up to around 180lbs. Is there anything I can do / watch out for when gaining weight to avoid this issue in the future?

I had blood tests done at the time and the only problem the doctor noted was a vitamin D deficiency, which I now take a daily supplement for.

Thanks in advance,

J

2

I am skeptical of the reactive hypoglycemia hypothesis. Regardless, this is going to primarily be an issue of trial and error to find a way to generate a sufficient calorie surplus that you can tolerate without such side effects. I would try experimenting with different food sources and try liquid calories (e.g., calorie-dense, blended shakes). You can also just take the whole process slower, which wouldn’t require as significant of a daily surplus to do.