For some people, losing weight is not simply a matter of decreasing calories consumed while increasing activity. People who are obese may need surgical intervention to lose enough weight to bring their body mass index into a healthy range....
Malabsorption of carbohydrates presents a potentially serious complication for a child with short bowel syndrome. Her condition has already left her vulnerable to a host of other conditions because of her body's inability to absorb nutrients...
Malabsorption is a condition in which your body is unable to effectively absorb nutrients -- fats, proteins, sugars or vitamins -- from your food. Malabsorption, states the National Center for Biotechnology Information, may be caused by numerous...
Malabsorption syndrome is a condition in which the body is unable to adequately digest and absorb the nutrients derived from foods. The stomach secretes acids that break down food into digestible components, while the small intestine is the...
Unexplained weight loss and an increased appetite may be symptoms of an endocrine disorder such as diabetes mellitus or an overactive thyroid gland. They may also indicate the presence of a malabsorption syndrome such as Crohn's disease or a...
Malabsorption is the term physicians use to describe the inability to digest and absorb nutrients -- sugars, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals -- from your food. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that numerous factors may cause...
Because the body can’t make most vitamins, these nutrients must come from natural food sources or dietary supplements. Vitamins play a key role in the body’s energy metabolism and immune system function. Although the body only needs a...
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is most frequently associated with malabsorption syndromes resulting from an overgrowth of bacteria in the small bowel. Many risk factors exist for the development of SIBO, such as altered anatomy from...
Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, aids bone development, growth and maintenance. Your physician might order cholecalciferol blood testing to confirm a suspected vitamin D deficiency if you have symptoms affecting your skeletal and muscular...
The American Heart Association describes triglycerides as a form of fat. Our bodies naturally make triglycerides, but we also take in triglycerides in the foods that we eat. We need these and other fats for energy. Triglycerides are absorbed by...
When a blood test reveals that your total protein and albumin levels are low, this can be an indication of certain underlying health conditions. Although the two main proteins are albumin and globulin, albumin is the major protein found in blood...
A person who has a sucrose intolerance cannot digest sucrose, a sugar found in many foods, including fruits. The malabsorption syndrome is termed congenital sucrase-isomaltase ceficiency, or CSID, and may result from a genetic mutation. Symptoms...
Magnesium is an essential mineral to the body. It is vital to the hundreds of metabolic reactions that depend on it. Magnesium is found naturally in the foods we eat. It can also be found easily in supplemental form. However, certain conditions...
If you have symptoms of diarrhea, fatty stools or steatorrhea, abdominal bloating and gas, your physician may order a fecal lipid test. The test does not determine the cause of your symptoms but indicates the need for further diagnostic procedures...
Your digestive system is an efficient factory that takes the raw materials you supply through your diet, breaks those materials down, uses what it can for maintenance and energy, then eliminates the rest through the efficient trash compactor of...
Numerous factors can cause persistent vitamin D deficiency. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a significant role in numerous body functions. Vitamin D works in...
Cholesterol and bile salts are two of the major components of bile, a fluid that is produced by your liver and serves several important functions in your digestive system. Too much cholesterol can cause significant disease, including heart attacks...
Numerous diseases may be caused by eating an unhealthy diet. According to the Wrong Diagnosis website, a diet lacking in certain vitamins can cause many medical conditions to manifest. An unhealthy diet is a diet in which not enough nutrient-rich...
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough red blood cells to deliver oxygen to body tissues. This understandably can result in many problems with the body due to the necessity for proper oxygen supply to body cells and tissues....
Digoxin, also known as Lanoxin, is a cardiac glycoside that is used to treat mild to moderate heart failure and abnormal heart rythyms such as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center website,...
Pancreatic enzymes are natural chemicals that help break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Certain diseases like cystic fibrosis, and pancreatitis can affect pancreatic enzymes levels,...
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), chitosan is promoted in the United States and other countries as a dietary aid to curb the absorption of fat. Chitosan is a primary ingredient in various over-the-counter supplements. This...
Numerous factors can cause calcium deposits. According to Sclero.org, calcium deposits, or calcinosis, occurs when small white calcium lumps form under the skin of your fingers, near your joints -- such as your elbows and knees -- or within your...
Weight loss is usually a desired outcome, but when it occurs unexpectedly, it may signal that something is wrong with your health. If you are losing weight but your appetite is increasing, it may indicate a serious endocrine disorder or...
Vitamin D boosts calcium absorption and is necessary for bone growth and bone maintenance. Inadequate vitamin D intake can cause thin and brittle bones and it contributes to osteoporosis. Vitamin D also is important for neuromuscular and immune...
You'll frequently see biotin supplements recommended for strengthening both hair and nails. It's found in hair formulations for topical use as well. Biotin is a B vitamin that serves as a coenzyme in protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism in...
Orlistat is the generic name for the weight loss drug marketed as Alli or Xenical, according to Drugs.com. RxList notes that Orlistat works as a lipase inhibitor, meaning that it interferes with the body's ability to absorb fat, causing weight...
You may have heard that malabsorption results from the insufficient production of digestive enzymes, and that you can treat it with supplements. With minimal exceptions, this isn't true. Malabsorption results from various disease processes that...
Vitamin K is obtained from food, vitamin supplements and is manufactured in the intestines. The vitamin is essential for blood clotting and bone health. Low levels can lead to osteoporosis, especially in the elderly. Malabsorption syndrome, liver...
