Excess Fat In Stool
Steatorrhea may arise due to the following causes.
Excess fat in stool. Inadequate fat digestion due to a deficiency absence or. A pound of fat is equal to 3 500 calories. If you notice fat in your stool it s important to discuss it with your doctor. Normal test results would show 2 to 7 grams per 24 hours for adults with fat making up less than 20 percent of the solid stool sample.
Steatorrhea or fatty stool occurs when there is too much fat in the stool. Diet pills can get in the way of fat absorption if they block the digestion of fats. These include proteins fibers and salts. These can damage the surface of the small intestine and affect the absorption of fat.
Greasy stool is also known as steatorrhea latin word for excess fat in stool. Coronary disease heart attack in one study subjects with heart disease had 10 times more fat in their stool than heart healthy individuals. Based on your response to this question which may indicate undigested fat in stools the analyst will consider possibilities such as. Tissues produce mucus to line and protect the mouth nose sinuses throat lungs and gut.
Mucus in the body is natural and a very important part of how the body works. There is increased fat excretion which can be measured by determining the fecal fat level. Often steatorrhea is seen with loose watery stool and diarrhea although it may occur with normal bowel movements as well. Steatorrhea or steatorrhoea is the presence of excess fat in feces stools may be bulky and difficult to flush have a pale and oily appearance and can be especially foul smelling.
More commonly occult steatorrhea is present a condition where excess fat in the stool is not so easily noticeable but stool has high amounts of fat in it 1 2. For an infant there should be less 1 gram per 24 hours. If you eat 250 to 500 calories fewer per day and exercise off an additional 250 to 500 calories per day you ll create a large enough deficit to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. As such the undigested fat is excreted in the stool.
An oily anal leakage or some level of fecal incontinence may occur. Fat in stool may be detected with the qualitative fecal fat test which generally determines the presence or absence of excess fat. Mucus in the stool is often mistaken for steatorrhea but it is a different condition often associated with inflammatory bowel disease and other causes of colitis.