'Malabsorption' - what do doctors mean exactly?

[Sneedle]

Hello,

When reading about causes of deficiences such as iron, folate, B12 etc. the medical information (from whichever source) lists the causes and malabsorption is always one of them.

To me this seems vague compared to the other causes:

eg. in the Guidance for Primary Care on the Interpretation of Haematinics document from York NHS (I'm thoroughly enjoying the great and clear presentation) for Iron, it lists causes as: Inadequate diet or malabsorption, Bleeding eg. GI bleeding, menorraghia or blood donation, Chronic Renal Failure etc.

I look at 'malabsorption' and think errr....? What do doctors mean specifically by this? Do I have it?Probably, maybe, how do I know? Got to be ruled in or out, somehow.

Thanks as always.

Here is the document link in case anyone wants to see, I know someone from TUK or PA gave it to me, just can't remember who to thank them!

yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/seecms...

[tattybogle]

'things ( eg oral thyroid hormones / or vitamins from food or supplements) not getting through the gut wall into the bloodstream as effectively as they should ~ for some reason'

There can be many different reasons for malabsorption.

[Sneedle in reply to tattybogle]

Aha thanks - gut wall into blood stream that's helpful.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

When hypothyroid malabsorption is common issue, usually as result of LOW stomach acid

In-depth article

academic.oup.com/edrv/artic...

[Sneedle in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you - I'm sure I have LSA and am taking apple cider vinegar with the mother 25ml a day in water as suggested on the bottle (Wiley's). Horrible lower abdomen bloating (hard like a board) coming and going, at times when I have the ACV I can feel bubbles of gas popping and that's a good feeling - less pressure in gut. As I write I'm realising the gas/hardness/distenstion is not in my stomach but lower down, my bowel? Under navel anway. I'm going to read the article 👍