2006-12-15 13:36:20 · 5 answers · asked by ? 1 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
Most commonly fat malabsorption is caused by a problem with the liver and/or gallbladder. The liver produces bile which is concentrated and stored in the gallbladder. When you eat a meal, the gallbladder contracts releasing the bile into the small intestine where it breaks down fats so that they can be absorbed through the wall of the intestine. If there is a problem where the fat is not being absorbed (i.e., broken down by bile so that it can be absorbed) then the fat will continue to travel through the small intestine, large intestine, and make up a larger proportion of the stool then normal. This results in greasy or oily, often foul-smelling stool and is a condition known as steatorrhea (excess fat in the feces). Often times a layer of fat (appearing as a thin oily-looking layer) can be seen on the surface of the water following a bowel movement. (Fat is less dense than water and floats.) The most common cause of steatorrhea is gallstones where the flow of bile is blocked by the presence of hard stones in the tube leading from the gallbladder to the intestine. Other causes include celiac sprue and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohns Disease. Any other condition that causes food to move through the intestines too quickly can also result in steatorrhea as the fat is not given enough time to be broken down by bile and absorbed through the intestinal wall.
2006-12-15 13:50:11 · answer #1 · answered by mnkmd 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you have a gall bladder problem. Bile which is stored in the Gall bladder is what the body uses to digest the fats consumed by you. If you have had your gall bladder removed then the amount of bile needed to digest the fat is not allowed to build up enough so when you eat fat it is not properly digested and may cause problems as it works its way thru your digestive system. Anyone without a gall bladder should remain on a low fat diet and should have been instructed on this after their gall bladder was removed and before they left hospital. There are some rare diseases that cause very serious problems with fat digestion but they also usually involve problems with brain dysfunction so I doubt that has anything to do with you.
2006-12-15 13:52:21 · answer #2 · answered by Judy D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means it goes right through you
2006-12-15 13:46:52 · answer #3 · answered by Twinklestar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are not a horse
2006-12-15 13:43:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you might be a mexican
2006-12-15 14:58:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋