health care  
All about malabsorption syndrome causes of malabsorption symptoms of malabsorption diagnosis of malabsorption treatment for malabsorption celiac disease gluten causes of celiac disease symptoms of celiac disease celiac disease diagnosis treatments for celiac disease celiac disease and gluten-free diet lactose intolerance causes of lactose intolerance symptoms of lactose intolerance diagnosis of lactose intolerance treatment of lactose intolerance lactose-free diet Whipple's disease causes of Whipple's disease symptoms of Whipple's disease diagnosis of Whipple's disease treatment for Whipple's disease

What are the symptoms of malabsorption?

The signs and symptoms depend on the type of malabsorption and may include failure to thrive (in infancy and childhood), diarrhea, cramping, frequent bulky stools, bloating, flatulence (gas), and abdominal distention. Treatment depends on the exact cause. People with malabsorption may have symptoms of frequent, loose, watery stools; pale, foul-smelling, bulky

stools; abdominal pain, gas, and bloating; weight loss; fatigue; canker sores; muscle cramps; delayed growth or short stature; bone and joint pain; seizures; painful skin rash; night blindness; easy bruising; and infertility. In addition to physical symptoms, there may be emotional disturbances, including feelings of anxiety and depression.

Symptoms of malabsorption are caused by the increased passage of unabsorbed nutrients through the digestive tract or by the nutritional deficiencies that result from inadequate absorption.The inadequate absorption of fats in the digestive tract results in stool that is light-colored, soft, bulky, and unusually foul smelling (such stool is called steatorrhea). The stool may float or stick to the side of the toilet bowl and be difficult to flush away. The inadequate absorption of certain sugars can cause explosive diarrhea, abdominal bloating, and flatulence. Malabsorption can cause deficiencies of all nutrients or selective deficiencies of proteins, fats, sugars, vitamins, or minerals. People with malabsorption usually lose weight. The symptoms vary depending on the specific deficiencies. For example, a protein deficiency can cause swelling (edema) anywhere throughout the body, dry skin, and hair loss.

More information on malabsorption (celiac disease, lactose intolerance, Whipple's disease)

What is malabsorption? - Malabsorption is the inability to absorb nutrients through the gut lining into the bloodstream. Malabsorption is the failure of the GI tract to absorb one or more substances from the diet.
What causes malabsorption? - The causes of malabsorption include cystic fibrosis, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, Whipple disease, acrodermatitis enteropathica, biliary atresia, pernicious anemia.
What are the symptoms of malabsorption? - The signs and symptoms of malabsorption may include failure to thrive, diarrhea, cramping, frequent bulky stools, bloating, flatulence, and abdominal distention.
How is malabsorption diagnosed? - The diagnosis of malabsorption syndrome and identification of the underlying cause can require extensive diagnostic testing.
What's the treatment for malabsorption? - Treatment of malabsorption is the treatment of the causing disease. Fluid and nutrient monitoring and replacement is essential for individual with malabsorption syndrome.
What is celiac disease? - Celiac disease is a sensitivity to gluten, a wheat protein. Individuals with this disease must avoid gluten-containing grains, which include all forms of wheat, oats, barley, and rye.
What is gluten? - Gluten is a protein in grains such as wheat, oats, rye, and barley. Gluten is responsible for the elasticity of kneaded dough which allows it to be leavened.
What causes celiac disease? - The exact cause of celiac disease is not known. The principal cause of the disorder is an immunologic reaction to components of certain dietary glutens.
What are the symptoms of celiac disease? - The symptoms of celiac disease (CD) vary so widely among patients that there is no such thing as a typical celiac. Symptoms may or may not occur in the digestive system.
How is celiac disease diagnosed? - Celiac disease may be diagnosed by observing the symptoms after an infant begins eating cereals. The diagnosis is suspected when a person has the above-mentioned symptoms.
What are the treatments for celiac disease? - Many of the effects of celiac disease can be treated and minimized with a special diet. People with celiac disease learn to avoid the proteins in cereal.
Celiac disease and gluten-free diet - A gluten-free diet is a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten containing cereals, wheat, oats, barley and rye.
What is lactose intolerance? - Lactose intolerance is a set of symptoms resulting from the body's inability to digest the milk sugar called lactose. Lactose is sugar occuring naturally in milk and is also called milk sugar.
What causes lactose intolerance? - Primary lactase deficiency is a genetically inherited. Secondary lactase deficiency is a transient state of lactase deficiency due to damage to the lining of the intestine.
What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance? - People with lactose intolerance usually cannot tolerate milk and other dairy products. The symptoms of lactose intolerance are dose-dependent.
How is lactose intolerance diagnosed? - Lactose intolerance is widely regarded as a medical condition. The most common test for lactose intolerance is the hydrogen breath test.
What's the treatment for lactose intolerance? - Lactose intolerance can be controlled and treated through diet by avoiding foods containing lactose, primarily dairy products.
Manage lactose intolerance with lactose-free diet - People who are very sensitive to lactose should be aware that lactose is widely used as an ingredient in many ready-made meals and other food products.
What is Whipple's disease? - Whipple's disease is a malabsorption disease. It interferes with the body's ability to absorb certain nutrients.
What causes Whipple's disease? - Whipple's disease is caused by the organism Tropheryma whippelii. The disease causes lesions on the wall of the small intestine and thickening of the tissue.
What are the symptoms of Whipple's disease? - Whipple's disease causes weight loss, irregular breakdown of carbohydrates and fats, resistance to insulin, and malfunctions of the immune system.
How is Whipple's disease diagnosed? - Whipple's disease is diagnosed through a tissue sample (biopsy) of the small intestine, or of an enlarged lymph node.
What is the treatment for Whipple's disease? - Whipple's disease is treated with antibiotics to destroy the bacteria that cause the disease, treatment may also include fluid and electrolyte replacement. 
Digestive health Mainpage

Topics in digestive disorders

Signs and symptoms of digestive diseases
Anal and rectal disorders
Diverticular disease
Inflammatory bowel diseases
Peptic disorders (Stomach disease)
Emergencies of digestive system
Liver diseases
Irritable bowel syndrome
Diagnostic tests for digestive disorders

Featured articles

Crohn's disease
Ulcerative colitis
Peptic ulcer
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Liver transplant
Colon cancer
Stomach cancer
Colorectal cancer (bowel cancer)
