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Causes
Many diseases or conditions that affect the intestines can cause malabsorption, including:
- Lactose intolerance
- Celiac disease
- Intestinal parasites
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Inflammatory disorders of the intestines such as:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Scleroderma
- Whipple’s disease
- Intestinal lymphoma
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Inadequate digestion due to:
- Gastric resection (removal of all or part of the stomach)
- Inadequate function of the pancreas (eg, cystic fibrosis )
- Excessive production of gastric acid
- Short bowel syndrome
Risk Factors
The following factors increase your chance of developing malabsorption. If you have any of these risk factors, tell your doctor:
- Family history of disorders affecting the intestine such as celiac disease or cystic fibrosis
- Use of laxatives
- Excessive use of antibiotics
- Intestinal surgery
- Excessive use of alcohol
- Travel to countries with high incidence of intestinal parasites