Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder where the body does not use energy properly. One of the symptoms of diabetes is sudden and unexplained weight loss.

Pepsin is an enzyme -- specifically, it's a proteolytic enzyme, meaning it helps digest proteins. Cells in the stomach secrete pepsin to help you digest the protein that you consume in food.

As many as 33 percent of alcoholics develop alcoholic myopathy, a breakdown of the proximal muscle tissue, lead author Jose Nicolas of the University of Barcelona reported in an August 2003 issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” Proximal muscles are those found nearest the body’s trunk.

Glucose is a type of sugar that is found in the bloodstream. Blood glucose is the main energy source of the body. Having a healthy blood glucose or blood sugar level is important to optimal health and survival.

A lumbar hemangioma is a benign blood vessel tumor that grows along one or more vertebra of the lower back. This type of tumor is most frequently diagnosed in patients between the ages of 30 and 50 and may not cause noticeable symptoms, according to Scoliosis and Spine Associates.

Many women experience fluid retention in the few days before their period starts. Fluid retention, which occurs because of hormone changes associated with the menstrual cycle, can cause breast tenderness, uncomfortable swelling in your hands and feet, abdominal bloating and weight gain.

People often assume that once you get a crown, you’ll never experience another problem with that tooth. But a crowned tooth is as susceptible to the same dental ailments as any other tooth, as well as certain problems related specifically to the crown. These ailments and problems commonly manifest as a toothache.

Moisture from perspiration, tight clothing, skin creases where chaffing can occur, and the normal proliferation of fungi and bacteria on the skin make the inner groin area a prime location for the development of skin rashes. Several types of rashes can develop in this area, with different characteristics and symptoms.

Lumps in the throat that you can feel with your fingers from the outside of your neck can mean anything from a swollen lymph node to a thyroid cyst or a tumor.

You can yawn for many reasons; a yawn often happens when you are bored or tired. While it was once believed that you yawned when you needed more oxygen, that theory has been disproved. Everyone yawns throughout the day; however, if yawning becomes excessive, it may be indicative of a serious medical problem.

Human parasites live in or on our bodies and take their nourishment from us. By definition, parasites cannot live on their own--they use us as their hosts. A variety of insects, worms and single-celled organisms cause parasitic infections, which number in the millions annually in the U.S.

The bones of the human body allow us to move from place to place and provide protection to other organs. Some bones also produce blood cells. Our bones produce over two million red blood cells every second. Scientists consider the skeleton to be composed of two parts: axial and appendicular.