Fructose is a type of sugar found in fruits, honey and some syrups. It is also used as a food and drink sweetener. The phrase "fructose intolerance" describes two different conditions: hereditary fructose intolerance, or HFI, and fruit...
Yellow stool, also known as pale stool, may be an indicator of a serious medical illness. There are several medical conditions that may cause yellow bowel movements. If bowel movements that are yellowish in color are seen, an examination by a...
Candida, a yeast-like fungus, resides in your mouth, digestive tract and vagina. In healthy amounts, candida does not cause a problem, but when yeast overgrowth occurs, it can lead to infection. One of the primary causes of yeast overgrowth is...
Magnesium citrate is a nonprescription product derived from the mineral magnesium. It belongs to a class of substances called hyperosmotics, which have laxative effects inside your intestines. Reasons for taking magnesium citrate include relief of...
If you're over age 40, you should have an annual prostate exam. The purpose of this test is to screen you for prostate and rectal cancer, and it consists of a doctor manually examining your prostate via a procedure known as a digital-rectal...
Celiac disease, also called coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, is an abnormal immune response to dietary gluten that destroys villi in the small intestine. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley and rye. More prevalent in those of Northern...
In some cases, bacteria that are normally present in our bodies and environment (without doing any harm) can cause serious infections when something within our bodies is altered. C. difficile commonly colonizes our bodies (particularly our...
About 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder, according to a "Today's Dietitian" article published in Oct. 2004. Your thyroid gland produces hormones important for a normal metabolism, energy levels, weight, body temperature and digestive...
Colorectal cancer--or cancer that originates from the colon or rectum--is a prevalent form of cancer. The National Cancer Institute reports that 106,100 new cases of colon cancer and 40,870 cases of rectal cancer were diagnosed in the United...
When it's time for you to have a colonoscopy, your doctor will probably advise you to pick up some magnesium citrate oral solution from your pharmacy. Magnesium citrate is beneficial as a rapid-acting, over-the-counter laxative preparation....
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...
Trypsin is an enzyme essential to the digestive system. The deadly disease human hereditary pancreatitis is an inherited condition that inhibits your body from properly regulating trypsin. The amount of trypsin in your body exceeds normal levels...
Because celiac disease can be silent--presenting no symptoms--your doctor may screen you for celiac with a simple celiac disease blood test. She looks first at your complete blood count (CBC), which tells if your iron level is low. Then she may...
Indigestion, digestive upset and dyspepsia describe a general feeling of discomfort in your intestinal tract. Stomach upset is not a disease, but its symptoms, which include burping, flatulence, nausea and bloating, can indicate underlying...
