Definition of Malabsorption:

Malabsorption is difficulty digesting or absorbing nutrients from food.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Many diseases can cause malabsorption. Malabsorption is usually the inability to absorb certain sugars, fats, proteins, or vitamins from food. It can also involve a general malabsorption of food.

Some of the causes of malabsorption include:

• Abetalipoproteinemia
• AIDS
• Biliary atresia
• Celiac disease
• Certain medications (cholestryramine, tetracycline, some antacids, some medications used to treat obesity, colchicine, acarbose, phenytoin)
• Certain types of cancer (lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, gastrinomas)
• Certain types of surgery (gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy, surgical treatments for obesity, partial or complete removal of the ileum)
• Cholestasis
• Chronic liver disease
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Cow's milk protein intolerance
• Crohn's disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Damage from radiation treatments
• Lactose intolerance
• Parasites
  • Giardia lamblia
  • Necator americanus (hookworm)
  • Strongyloides stercoralis
• Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (a genetic disease affecting the pancreas and bone marrow)
• Soy milk protein intolerance
• Whipple disease

Vitamin B12 malabsorption may be due to:

• Juvenile pernicious anemia
• Tapeworm (diphyllobothrium latum)

Malabsorption of vitamins can occur even without diarrhea.