This symptom may be caused by something unrelated to the digestive tract, such as depression or a systemic viral infection. Some conditions in the abdomen that may cause loss of appetite include:

Cancer of the gallbladder and bile ducts

Cancer of the liver

Cancer of the stomach

Cirrhosis

Esophagitis

Gallstones

Gastroparesis (a complication of diabetes)

Hepatitis

Parasitic infection

Peptic ulcer disease

Traveler's diarrhea

Ulcerative colitis

Viral gastroenteritis

When doctors speak of weight loss as a symptom, they mean weight loss that cannot be explained by diet or exercise. In gastrointestinal disorders, weight loss may occur from a loss of appetite, from an additional stress on the body (such as a cancer or infection) or from inefficient food absorption (malabsorption). Any unexplained weight loss should be reported to your doctor. Some gastrointestinal diseases that may cause weight loss include:

Achalasia

Bacterial overgrowth

Cancer of the esophagus

Cancer of the gallbladder and bile ducts

Cancer of the liver

Cancer of the pancreas

Cancer of the stomach

Celiac disease (gluten sensitivity)

Chronic pancreatitis

Cirrhosis

Colon cancer

Crohn's disease

Parasite infection

Ulcerative colitis

Hemochromatosis (a hereditary disorder of iron metabolism) can give the skin the appearance of being bronzed. Excessive absorption of iron leads to a marked increase in blood-iron levels. The excess iron is deposited in tissues throughout the body, including the skin.

Most of the time when urine is bright or darker yellow than usual, it is simply more concentrated and does not reflect a health problem. Urine color changes can be caused by certain foods (such as beets or asparagus) and by some medicines. The bile pigment bilirubin can turn urine dark in disorders that block or stop the flow of bile. Urine can also darken if it contains blood or byproducts of muscle breakdown. Common disorders that can cause dark urine are:

Bile-duct disease or obstruction

Cancer of the bladder

Cancer of gallbladder and bile ducts

Cancer of the kidney

Gallstones

Hemolysis (rapid destruction of red blood cells)

Hepatitis

Pyelonephritis (kidney infection)

Rhabdomyolysis (rapid destruction of muscle)

Urinary tract infection

General itchiness can result from the buildup of bile products or waste products in the blood because of kidney failure. Some abdominal conditions that can cause itching include:

Acute viral hepatitis

Blockage of the bile duct

Cancer of the pancreas

Cirrhosis

Drug-induced hepatitis

Primary biliary cirrhosis

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be caused by digestive disorders (especially malabsorption) or by liver or kidney disease. Symptoms from various vitamin and mineral deficiencies can include:

• Scaling skin — caused by vitamin-A deficiency
• Bruising — caused by decreased vitamin K production in the liver, poor vitamin K absorption in the intestine, or deficient dietary vitamin K
• Numbness and tingling — caused by vitamin B-12 deficiency
• Muscle spasms — caused by vitamin D or calcium deficiencies
• Bone pain — caused by vitamin D or calcium deficiencies