A healthy diet consists of eating foods from the five food groups in accordance with the recommended daily allowance of each group. If you are suffering from malabsorption, your body does not receive all of the nutrients supplied by a healthy diet because it cannot process all of them. While treating you for the condition that causes your malabsorption, your doctor may advise you to follow a healthier diet, although diet alone is unlikely to reverse malabsorption.
Identification
Malabsorption occurs when the body is unable to absorb certain nutrients from food sources. Malabsorption is normally caused by diseases, but it can also be caused by medications. Some of the diseases that cause malabsorption are AIDS/ HIV, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, damage from radiation, chronic liver disease and certain forms of cancer. Vitamin B-12 malabsorption may be due to pernicious anemia or the result of bowel resection or a tapeworm infection.
Symptoms
Symptoms of malabsorption may begin with bloating, cramping and flatulence. The symptoms may increase and include bulky stools, chronic diarrhea, fatty stools, weight loss and muscle wasting. In some cases, malabsorption can lead to further diseases and delays in growth and development. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, see your physician for treatment. Do not try to treat your symptoms at home.
Treatment
Treatments for malabsorption usually include vitamin and nutrition replacement, according to Medline Plus. Your doctor may suggest changing the foods you eat to include healthier choices. This may help to treat your malabsorption as well as preventing the development of vitamin deficiencies or malnutrition. If a disease has caused malabsorption, the condition that caused it may need to be treated.
Complications
If you suspect that you may have malabsorption or you have been diagnosed with malabsorption and you do not have it treated, you may develop anemia, gallstones, kidney stones, osteoporosis or serious malnutrition.
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