Diarrhea-Malabsorption

Also known as: gastrointestinal malabsorption, malabsorption syndrome

What is diarrhea-malabsorption?

Malabsorption is the failure to digest or absorb nutrients from eaten food.

What causes diarrhea-malabsorption?

Malabsorption can result from a very large number of medical ( and some surgical ) conditions , congenital or acquired , involving the intestines, the gallbladder, the liver and/ or the pancreas. It may be short lived following a viral bowel infection, or chronic, from an underlying small bowel illness such as celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, or lactose intolerance. Parasites like hookworm can cause malabsorption. Bile duct atresia or chronic pancreatitis also results in malabsorption.

What are the symptoms of diarrhea-malabsorption?

Common symptoms of malabsorption include diarrhea, cramping, unusual stools, bloating, weight loss, growth failure, delayed puberty and weakness from loss of muscle mass. What are diarrhea-malabsorption care options? Treatments will vary depending on the underlying cause.

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf

This page was last updated on: March 20, 2019 04:06 PM

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