We all depend on food and drinks for meeting the demands of our body. As long as the system has the ability to absorb the required* nutrients from the food, there is no problem. But when the body cannot absorb the necessary vitamins and minerals from the food, it causes deficiency. The inability of the body to absorb the necessary nutrients from the food is known as malabsorption. The energy derived from the source of food is sent into the blood through the intestine to carryout various functions.
Symptoms :
Some of the signs of malabsorption are foul smelling stools, bloating, fullness in the stomach, discomfort in your abdomen, loss of weight (unintentional), frequent diarrhea and flatulence and fatigue. The intestine can no longer absorb necessary nutrients like iron/Vitamin B12 which can adversely affect the general health condition of your body.
Deficiency of fat particles in your body can produce foul smelling stools which are difficult to flush out. Similarly deficiency or malabsorption of proteins in the blood can cause edema and hair loss. When there is increased deficiency of sugars in your blood it can cause bloating and frequent diarrhea. Loss of vitamins can lead to anemia, low blood pressure and loss of weight.
Causes :
Number of diseases and disorders can cause malabsorption. Any abnormality in the intestine or gastrointestinal tract will seriously affect the rate of absorption. Malabsorption can be caused due to celiac disease, any diseases in the gallbladder or liver, lactose intolerance, AIDS or other autoimmune disorders, Whipple disease, excessive growth of bacteria, excess production of gastric acid and damage to the intestine due to injury or surgery or infection.
Some other factors that cause malabsorption are overuse of antibiotics, pancreatitis, and birth defects in the gallbladder, undergoing radiation or chemotherapy and inflammation of the intestine. Diseases like short bowel syndrome and tropical sprue can also affect the function of intestine leading to malabsorption.