Signs of poor digestion. Digestion in the stomach: the process of formation of gastric juice

Malabsorption, or malabsorption, is a condition in which the nutrients entering the small intestine are poorly absorbed due to inflammation, disease, or injury. Malabsorption can occur due to many reasons, such as cancer, celiac disease, granulomatous disease (Crohn's disease). By identifying the symptoms early and taking the necessary measures, you can recover from malabsorption and prevent its occurrence in the future.

Recognizing symptoms

1. Know the risk factors for malabsorption. Malabsorption can occur in anyone, but there are factors that increase the risk of this condition. Knowing these factors will help you identify the disease in time and successfully recover from it.

2. Identify possible symptoms. Malabsorption causes a variety of symptoms of varying severity, depending on which nutrients are not being absorbed by the intestines. Recognizing symptoms early will help you begin proper treatment as soon as possible.

• The most common signs are various gastrointestinal disorders: chronic diarrhea, bloating, abdominal cramps, gas accumulation. Excess fat may cause your stool to change color and increase in volume.
• Common symptoms include changes in body weight, especially noticeable weight loss.
• Malabsorption may be accompanied by increased fatigue and weakness.
• With malabsorption, anemia and slow blood clotting are also observed. Anemia results from a lack of vitamin B12, folate, or iron. Poor blood clotting is associated with a lack of vitamin K.
• Dermatitis and night blindness (decreased vision at dusk) may indicate impaired absorption of vitamin A.
• If there is a lack of potassium and other electrolytes, cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) may occur.

3. Observe your body. If you suspect you are developing malabsorption, take a close look at how your body is functioning. This will help you not only detect the relevant symptoms, but also make a timely diagnosis and begin treatment.

• Look for stool that is light-colored, soft, or too bulky, or stool that is too smelly. Such stool may also be difficult to flush, sticking to the walls of the toilet.
• Take a closer look to see if your stomach is bloated or if gas accumulates after eating certain foods.
• Fluid accumulation may cause your feet to swell.

4. Note general weakness. Malabsorption deprives your body of vitality. This may result in bones becoming more fragile and muscles becoming weaker. By paying attention to the deteriorating condition of your bones, muscles and even hair, you can recognize malabsorption in time and begin treatment.

• Your hair may become too dry and begin to fall out a lot.
• If you are a teenager, if you become ill, you may notice that your body does not grow and muscles do not develop. Muscles may even weaken and atrophy.
• Some forms of malabsorption may be accompanied by bone pain and even neuropathy.

Diagnosis and treatment

1. Visit a doctor. If you have one or more of the above symptoms and/or are at increased risk, contact your doctor immediately. Early diagnosis will allow timely treatment to begin.

• Your doctor will be able to diagnose malabsorption by carefully reviewing your medical history.
• To make an accurate diagnosis, your doctor may prescribe various studies and tests.

2. Describe your symptoms to your doctor. Before visiting your doctor, remember any warning signs you are experiencing and write them down. This will make it easier for you to explain your condition to your doctor without leaving out any important information.

• Tell your doctor in detail about the symptoms you are experiencing and how you are feeling. For example, if you suffer from bloating and cramping, describe your condition using terms such as “sharp,” “dull,” or “severe pain.” Similar epithets are suitable to describe many physical symptoms.
• Tell your doctor how long you have been experiencing certain symptoms. The more accurately you remember when your symptoms started, the easier it will be for your doctor to determine their cause.
• Be sure to mention how often you experience anxiety symptoms. This will also help the doctor determine the cause of your symptoms. For example, you might say, “I have gas and heavy bowel movements every day,” or “My feet sometimes swell.”
• Tell your doctor about recent changes in your lifestyle (such as increased stress levels).
• Tell your doctor about the medications you take, including those that may worsen your asthma.

3. Pass all the necessary tests, undergo research and get a diagnosis. If your doctor thinks you may have malabsorption, after a general exam and medical history, he or she may order additional tests to rule out other conditions. The results of these tests and studies can confirm the diagnosis of malabsorption.

5. Blood and urine tests may be required. If your doctor suspects you have malabsorption, he or she may ask you to have blood and urine tests. These tests help identify deficiencies in certain nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins and minerals, that lead to anemia.

• The doctor will likely check plasma viscosity, vitamin B12 levels, red blood cell folic acid levels, iron levels, blood clotting, calcium levels, antibody concentrations, and serum magnesium levels.

6. Be prepared for research to see what's going on inside your body. To check the damage malabsorption is causing to your body, your doctor may order x-rays and/or ultrasounds and a CT scan to better evaluate the health of your intestines.

• X-ray examination and computed tomography will help the doctor not only diagnose malabsorption, but also determine where exactly it is observed. This will allow you to create the right treatment plan.
• Your doctor may order an x-ray. You will need to sit still while the operator takes pictures of your small intestine. X-rays will help identify possible damage in this lower area of ​​your intestine.
• Your doctor may send you for a CT scan, which will require you to lie inside a scanning machine for a few minutes. A CT scan can help determine how badly your intestines are damaged and help guide the treatment needed.
• An abdominal ultrasound can help identify problems with the gallbladder, liver, pancreas, intestinal wall or lymph nodes.
• You may be asked to drink an aqueous suspension of barium sulfate to help the operator see any possible pathologies better.

7. Consider taking a hydrogen breath test. Your doctor may order a hydrogen breath test. This test will help identify lactose intolerance and malabsorption of lactose-like sugars, as well as outline an appropriate treatment plan.

• During the test, you will be asked to exhale into a special reservoir.
• After this, you will be given a water solution of lactose, glucose or other sugar to drink.
• You will then have your breath taken every thirty minutes, analyzing the hydrogen content and assessing bacterial growth. An increased hydrogen content indicates deviations from the norm.

8. Collecting cell samples for biopsy. Less invasive methods may indicate problems in your intestines due to malabsorption. To identify these problems, your doctor may take a sample of intestinal tissue for further laboratory tests.

• Typically, a sample of intestinal tissue for biopsy is taken during an endoscopy or colonoscopy.

9. Start treatment. Based on your specific diagnosis and severity of malabsorption, your doctor will prescribe a course of treatment for you. In mild forms of the disease, it is enough to take vitamins; in severe forms, hospitalization may be necessary.

• Keep in mind that even with timely treatment, it will take some time for you to get rid of malabsorption.

10. Replace missing nutrients. After your doctor determines what substances are not being absorbed in your intestines, he or she will prescribe vitamins and nutritional supplements to help make up for the lack of these substances in your body.

• For mild and moderate forms of malabsorption, it is enough to take nutritional supplements with food or administer small doses of a nutrient solution intravenously.
• Your doctor may advise you to eat a special diet that is rich in nutrients. This diet will contain increased amounts of the nutrients you are missing.

Warnings

• If you notice symptoms of malabsorption, make an appointment with your doctor immediately. While you may be able to diagnose yourself correctly (malabsorption), you may not be able to identify the root cause or find the appropriate treatment.

Insufficient intake of iron into the human body invariably leads to the progression of a serious disease - iron deficiency anemia. However, often this pathological condition can be provoked by another serious factor - poor absorption of iron by the human body. The reasons for the failure to absorb iron in the body can be very different, but they always lead to the same outcome - disruption of the functioning of all organs. Only knowledge of why iron is not absorbed in the body will help to promptly identify problems and eliminate them.

Iron is an extremely necessary and important element, thanks to which the normal functioning of all systems and organs in a living organism is possible. Factors that interfere with the absorption of iron are quite common in people. At the same time, there will most likely be no pronounced symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. In this case, it is worth finding out in detail why iron is not absorbed in the body and why this element manifests itself so “capriciously”?

The process of iron absorption by the body is a rather complex mechanism that is regulated by numerous factors. The following phenomena or factors are of utmost importance for the correct implementation of this mechanism: iron regulatory proteins, enzymes that take part in the process of iron conversion, hypoxia, oxidative processes. Myoglobin, cytochromes, and many enzymes desperately need iron ions.

Many people are concerned about the question of why iron is not absorbed in the body, the causes of which are directly related to the disruption of proper iron metabolism in the body. Factors that interfere with the absorption of iron in the body: unhealthy eating habits, stomach problems, chronic kidney disease, genetic disorder. There are also separate reasons why iron is not absorbed in a woman’s body. These include endometriosis, uterine fibroids and various uterine bleeding.

Causes

If iron is not absorbed in the body, the reasons often lie in the impaired functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Often, serious pathologies that prevent the absorption of iron into the body include peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. If we talk about the ulcer itself, it does not cause metabolic disturbances. However, quite often complications appear, such as stenosis, when a narrowing of the duodenal outlet and bulb occurs.

This is precisely the pathological reason why the absorption of most nutritional enzymes, vitamins, and iron essential for humans is completely disrupted. Also, what not everyone knows, iron is not absorbed in the lower gastrointestinal tract. And some dangerous diseases require removal of the upper sections: tumor formations, polyps, acute obstruction. In this case, iron absorption does not occur.

We should also talk about atrophic gastritis. This pathological disease is characterized by a long-term inflammatory process of the gastric mucosa, which is accompanied by atrophy. The disease has several factors that affect the absorption of the metal:

1. A critically low level of hydrochloric acid is observed. Many experts have precisely established that the necessary microelement is best absorbed in an acidic environment. In the atrophic form of gastritis, the phenomenon of increased pH only worsens the process of iron absorption.
2. Intrinsic Castle factor also plays a significant role in proper iron metabolism. With this gastritis, insufficient synthesis of this factor may occur, which significantly affects the absorption of vitamin B12. This vitamin is essential for iron metabolism.

Kidney diseases significantly affect the absorption of this element. Renal failure develops, in which the proper production of erythropoietins is disrupted. This leads to the fact that we can observe reduced metal recycling.

What foods interfere with the absorption of iron in the body?

When people think about why the body doesn't absorb iron, almost no one thinks about what foods can interfere with this process. Nutrition is the only external source of the necessary element. Tea and coffee are drinks that significantly interfere with the process of metal absorption. Also, some vitamin preparations affect this process - taking calcium, magnesium or zinc at the same time.

If it is difficult to establish why iron is poorly absorbed in the body, you need to pay attention to your diet. Therefore, it is important to know which foods interfere with the absorption of iron: dairy products (due to calcium, which interferes with the absorption of iron), cereals, pasta, cheese, semolina (due to phytin in its composition). It is also recommended not to consume foods high in iron, which contain a lot of dietary fiber.

What to do if iron is not absorbed

Regardless of the reasons or phenomena that prevent the absorption of such an important and valuable macronutrient in the human body, it is always necessary to pay attention to signs of deficiency of this element. Since long-term iron deficiency can become chronic, then a person will definitely need the help of a specialist and proper correction of anemia.

It is almost impossible to independently identify the reasons that prevent iron from being absorbed. Even an experienced specialist will need to conduct additional examinations that will allow an accurate diagnosis to be made. This examination often includes the determination of blood enzymes. Self-medication can only improve the condition for a short period of time, but not completely get rid of the problem. If the problem is not pathologies, then it will be enough to correct the diet.

Poor nutrition, snacks on the run, or large meals at night - all this can lead to the stomach not digesting food. What to do when the stomach cannot digest food and how to restore the functioning of the organ worries many.

1 Basic information about the disease

The stomach is the place where food is digested. Its volume in an adult is approximately 2-3 liters. Food enters the stomach through the esophagus, where it is broken down into its components: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. When the body feels the need for food, it gives a signal and the amount of hydrochloric acid increases, which helps break down food. The speed of this process is different: carbohydrates are completely processed in 2 hours, while a similar process for fats takes up to 5 hours.

The deterioration of the stomach, in which it practically stops digesting food, is called dyspepsia and can be accompanied by unpleasant sensations: attacks of nausea, heaviness in the stomach and a feeling of fullness. If timely effective measures are not taken, the consequences will be very serious.

Symptoms of dyspepsia may include the following:

• feeling of fullness in the stomach;
• bloating, distension;
• symptoms of peptic ulcer: vomiting, nausea, heartburn, “hunger” pain;
• belching;
• after eating, a burning sensation may occur in the chest area;
• heaviness and pain in the upper abdomen not associated with eating;
• pain in the upper spine;
• sometimes vomiting occurs, causing relief for a short period;
• loss of appetite, rapid satiety (associated with undigested food in the stomach).

The disease can develop in different ways: ulcerative, dyskinetic or nonspecific. The dyskinetic variant involves the appearance of a feeling of rapid satiety, overcrowding, and discomfort. With peptic ulcers, signs of peptic ulcer disease are observed, that is, belching, “hungry” or night pain, heartburn. The nonspecific variant combines signs of both ulcerative and dyskinetic course of the disease.

2 Causes of the disease

The most common causes of dyspepsia are poor diet and lack of food culture. Dry snacks in conditions of constant stress and haste will certainly affect your health. The selection of foods can affect the functioning of the stomach. There are a number of foods that, depending on the individual characteristics of a person, are not accepted by the stomach.

Discomfort may occur from fatty, heavy or too spicy foods. Alcohol can also cause problems, as it stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, thereby increasing the load on the walls of the stomach.

In some cases, disruption of the functioning of the stomach can be caused by hormonal imbalance - this phenomenon is often observed in pregnant women. Finally, the secretion of gastric juice may be a consequence of disorders of the secretory glands.

In some cases, poor health may occur in the morning. This suggests that the person is abusing late meals. Like all human organs, the stomach must have time to rest.

There are other causes of dyspepsia:

• decreased metabolism;
• the appearance of bacterial colonies in the gastric mucosa;
• insufficient concentration of gastric juice;
• gastritis.

Regardless of the reasons why the stomach does not digest food, it is necessary to urgently begin treatment and seriously reconsider the diet and selection of foods.

3 Types and forms of the disease

There are two main groups of the disease: organic and functional. Organic dyspepsia is a syndrome in which there are no serious disturbances in the structure of the gastrointestinal tract, only functional ones, that is, related to the functioning of the organs. Functional dyspepsia is characterized by the appearance of structural pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the symptoms will be observed more clearly and over a long period of time.

The main types of disease are determined depending on the reasons that provoked their occurrence.

Dyspepsia caused by intestinal infection can be of several types:

• salmonellosis - characterized by an increase in temperature to 39°C, the appearance of vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and headache;
• dysentery - usually affects the large intestine, the main manifestation is considered to be stool mixed with blood;
• intoxication - develops as a result of poisoning due to influenza, acute infectious diseases, poisoning.

Dyspepsia associated with a lack of digestive enzymes can be of the following types:

• gastrogenic;
• hepatogenic;
• pancreatogenic;
• enterogenous.

Nutritional dyspepsia is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle and has 3 subtypes, characterized by an excess of any component.

Putrefactive disease develops when eating too many carbohydrate-containing foods, that is, meat, fish, and eggs predominate in the diet. The disease may develop due to eating stale meat products.

Fatty dyspepsia is caused by an excess of fats in the diet, especially refractory ones - lamb or pork fat.

The fermentation form is caused by an excess of carbohydrate-containing foods in the diet, such as bread, legumes, cabbage, sugar and some others, as well as fermented drinks (these include beer and kvass).

4 Diagnostic methods

Stopping digestion of food in the stomach may be a symptom of another, more serious disease, so if signs appear, you should consult a doctor.

First of all, the doctor collects an anamnesis. It is necessary to describe all complaints as accurately as possible: how long ago and how severe the pain has been, when it appears, whether there is heartburn, whether there are other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

After this, the doctor can prescribe both instrumental and laboratory tests.

Instrumental studies may include ultrasound and computed tomography. Using electrogastroenterography, disorders of gastric motility are detected, that is, its ability to move food mass. If more serious diseases (tumors) are suspected, the patient may be prescribed radiography. The inner surface of the stomach is analyzed using an endoscope, often with a simultaneous biopsy. Tests are carried out for the presence of the pathogen Helicobacter pylori.

Laboratory tests include a biochemical blood test, stool analysis for the presence of dietary fiber and occult blood.

5 Treatments

If the disturbance of digestion in the stomach is caused by the development of another disease (influenza and other viral diseases, ulcers, gastritis, pancreatic diseases, duodenitis, etc.), it is this that is treated first.

To directly treat indigestion in the stomach, the patient is prescribed medications of various types. For constipation, the patient is prescribed a laxative, but not for continuous use - only until the stool returns to normal. If diarrhea occurs, the patient should take antidiarrheal medications.

The patient is prescribed some medications designed to eliminate the main symptoms of the disease:

1. Enzymatic - improve digestion, the functioning of the stomach and duodenum.
2. Proton pump blockers - are prescribed for increased stomach acidity, manifested in the form of heartburn and sour belching.
3. Histamine blockers are medications that reduce stomach acidity, but have a weaker effect than proton pump blockers.
4. Painkillers - antispasmodics that reduce pain in the abdomen.

Non-drug treatment consists of simple measures. After eating, it is recommended to walk for at least 30 minutes. During treatment, the load on the abs is eliminated: twisting, lifting or bending the body.

Since one of the reasons that food is poorly digested is poor nutrition, it is reasonable to try to improve the condition with the help of diet. Therefore, at least for the duration of treatment, you need to give up fast food, fried, fatty, and semi-finished products, since all of these products contain a large amount of simple fats.

It is important to have a positive attitude - it helps improve the production of gastric juice. Therefore, while eating, you do not need to plunge into dark thoughts or be distracted by watching TV, reading a newspaper or watching news on the Internet.

The main rule is to seriously reconsider your diet. It is important to give preference to natural and high-quality food. If the stomach does not accept any food, then you can switch to separate meals, since a diet selected in accordance with the rules allows you to relieve the digestive system and identify a product that is not accepted by the gastrointestinal tract.

Separate nutrition requires following several rules. The main thing is that you should not mix carbohydrates and proteins in one meal, since their processing requires different concentrations of gastric juice. In this case, fats can be combined with both proteins and carbohydrates.

It is important not to mix foods that take different amounts of time to digest. For example, nuts take longer to digest, so you shouldn't eat them at the same time as an orange.

You also need to be more careful with liquids. It is not allowed to drink hot coffee or tea immediately after eating. To avoid problems, you need to drink water 15 minutes before meals and at least an hour after meals.

Poor absorption of iron will invariably affect the functioning of all organs and systems. Knowing the main causes will help you diagnose the problem in time and begin to eliminate it.

Iron is a very important macronutrient that ensures the normal functioning of all organs and systems in the body. The daily requirement for iron for men is 10 mg, for women – up to 20 mg. Pregnant and nursing mothers should receive about 35 mg of this element per day.

Conditions that are characterized by poor absorption of iron are quite common. Moreover, obvious anemia is not at all necessary. Why is this important metal sometimes so “capricious”?

Iron metabolism in the body

Iron absorption is a complex process regulated by numerical mechanisms. Of key importance in these processes are:

• iron regulatory proteins;
• enzymes involved in iron conversion reactions;
• the amount of iron deposited in tissues;
• Nitric oxide;
• hypoxia;
• oxidative stress.

Normally, iron is absorbed in the upper parts of the small intestine - the duodenum and the beginning of the jejunum. Its mucous membrane is covered with so-called enterocytes - cells at the top of which there is a brush border. Thanks to this border, ions are absorbed - it captures them and delivers them inside the cell. Part of the incoming iron is deposited in the mucous membrane, combining with apoferritin and forming ferritin, the rest enters the blood.

In the blood, ferroxidase enzymes oxidize incoming ions, after which they bind to the carrier protein transferrin. It supplies iron to the bone marrow, the precursor cells of red blood cells. Here, with the help of transferrin receptors, transferrin enters the cells, where it releases the brought ion.

The free form of iron is used for heme synthesis. The part that was not used is deposited in lysosomes and used as needed.

These processes are regulated at the gene level, and special enzymes take part in all reactions, without which normal iron metabolism becomes impossible.

About 75% of the iron entering the body is absorbed in this way. The remaining 25% is spent on the needs of other organs and systems. In addition to hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes, and multiple ferum-dependent enzymes, which require an iron ion to function, require iron. Also, reserves of this element are formed in the body. They are consumed when there is insufficient intake from food.

Causes of iron metabolism disorders

All conditions in which the body suffers from iron deficiency can be divided into two groups: those caused either by increased losses or by insufficient supply of the element.

The first group of reasons include:

• acute and chronic diseases accompanied by bleeding;
• long and heavy menstruation in women;
• frequent pregnancies and childbirths;
• periods of active growth and development of the body - children under one year old, adolescents.

The second group includes:

• poor eating habits;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• chronic kidney disease;
• genetic changes.

Gastrointestinal disorders

The most common reason that interferes with the normal absorption of iron is pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.

Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. The ulcer itself does not interfere with the process of iron absorption. However, it is often complicated by stenosis - a narrowing of the outlet of the stomach and duodenal bulb. This makes it difficult for food to pass through the gastrointestinal tract and absorb almost all nutrients and vitamins.

Pathological conditions requiring resection of the stomach and duodenum. Most often these are tumor diseases, both malignant and benign, polyps, bleeding and perforated ulcers, acute obstruction at the level of the duodenum. In these conditions, the upper sections of the gastrointestinal tract are removed, and in the lower sections iron is simply not absorbed.

Atrophic gastritis is a pathological condition that is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa and is accompanied by its atrophy. In this disease, there are two factors that affect the absorption of iron.

1. Insufficient level of hydrochloric acid. Scientists have found that iron is better absorbed in an acidic environment. An increase in gastric pH, which is observed with atrophic gastritis, impairs the absorption of this element in the body.
2. Insufficient synthesis of intrinsic factor interferes with the normal absorption of vitamin B12. Deficiency of this vitamin negatively affects iron metabolism.

By the way, intrinsic Castle factor deficiency also occurs in diseases that were accompanied by gastric resection.

Malabsorption syndrome, or impaired absorption, is a pathological syndrome that is observed in a variety of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. As the name implies, the key to this syndrome is the complete or partial inability to absorb certain nutrients, including iron.

Malabsorption can be primary or secondary. Primary malabsorption is based on genetic deficiency of enzymes or disruption of their functioning. Secondary malabsorption syndrome occurs when:

• pancreatitis;
• gastritis;
• celiac disease;
• colitis;
• diseases of the thyroid gland.

In this case, the main role in the pathogenesis is played by insufficiency of digestive enzymes and increased intestinal motor function.

Wrong eating habits

Food is the only external source of iron. Most of it is found in meat and liver, slightly less in eggs, fish, and caviar. Moreover, the type and color of meat is not of fundamental importance - both white and red meat are rich in iron.

Among plant foods, beans, peas, and soy contain the most iron. There is less of it in apples, berries, and grain products.

Vegetarians, refusing to eat animal foods, claim that the need for iron can be completely satisfied with plant foods. If we take into account only the content of this element per 100 g of product, it may seem that this is indeed the case.

But the iron contained in meat and plant foods differs significantly from each other. The first, the so-called heme, is absorbed almost completely. Non-heme iron from plant foods can be divalent or trivalent. In order for trivalent to be reduced to divalent, a reducing agent is needed. Ascorbic acid performs this role best. But the absorption of even divalent iron is approximately four times worse than heme iron.

In addition to the source, accompanying food products are of great importance. B vitamins, orange and apple juices, and sauerkraut help absorb iron. Tea and coffee worsen this process by about a third. Taking calcium, magnesium and zinc together with iron also negatively affects its absorption. This must be taken into account when selecting complex mineral preparations. For the same reason, meat and dairy products, which are a source of easily digestible calcium, must be taken separately.

Kidney diseases

In a healthy person, special substances are produced in the kidneys - erythropoietins. They regulate erythropoiesis, that is, the process of formation of red blood cells. In diseases that are accompanied by the development of chronic renal failure, there is a deficiency of this hormone, which significantly reduces the utilization of iron in the body.

In addition, patients with chronic renal failure regularly undergo hemodialysis, which involves filtering the blood and removing toxic substances from the body. Along with toxins, beneficial compounds, including iron, are also removed from the body.

It is also important that in this pathology the excretory function is partially taken over by the stomach. Performing a function unusual for it leads to the development of inflammation and deterioration of iron absorption.

Enzymepathies

As already mentioned, regulatory enzymes are involved in iron metabolism. Disruption of their work leads to changes in the course of reactions. Normal utilization of iron in the body under such conditions becomes impossible. Most often, failures occur at the genetic level and are congenital in nature, so the enzymes remain defective forever.

A similar mechanism occurs when transferrin is disrupted, when the delivery of iron into the cell becomes impossible. A special feature of these conditions is that iron absorption may remain completely normal. Of course, conditions when enzymes do not work properly and cause anemia are very rare, but they should not be forgotten.

Finally

Regardless of the etiology, iron deficiency in the body requires correction. It is almost impossible to independently determine the cause of low hemoglobin. Even a specialist needs to conduct an additional study to determine the correct diagnosis, determining blood enzymes. By self-medicating, at best, you can only temporarily improve your condition, so do not put off visiting a doctor. Timely treatment will have a positive effect on your health.

In today's world of constant stress, processed food, antibiotics and chemicals in food, many people suffer from poor digestion.

Bloating after eating, constipation, heartburn and gases in the intestines are symptoms of poor digestion that everyone knows about. But there are many other symptoms that indicate you have digestive problems - from brittle nails to arthritis - these are signs you need to know.

Bad breath

If you suffer from bad breath that won't go away no matter how often or vigorously you brush your teeth, then it may be worth looking deeper for the cause - all the way to your digestive system. Gastroenterologists can suggest that a fishy breath smell indicates kidney problems, and a fruity smell indicates diabetes. The reason for this smell is an imbalance of bad/good bacteria in the intestines and therefore after eating sweets, the smell can noticeably intensify, since these bacteria feed on sugar.

A digestive system disorder such as reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is also a cause of bad breath.

Take probiotics and fermented foods to help your body digest food and improve your gut bacteria. Taking probiotics will also change the flora in your mouth, which will reduce bad breath in no time.

Unpleasant body odor

Poor digestion results in the formation of foul-smelling chemicals in the intestines, which are then absorbed back into the body and eliminated through the skin in the form of sweat.

Because protein-rich foods (especially red meat) are difficult to digest in the intestines, they can cause body odor as they take longer to transit through the gastrointestinal tract. Research has shown that participants on a meat-free diet had significantly more attractive, more pleasant and less intense odor than participants who consumed meat.

If you experience increased body odor, especially after eating, your digestive enzyme levels are likely lower than they should ideally be. Avoid red meat and fatty foods, which may be more difficult to digest.

Fatigue after eating

If you feel sleepy after a heavy meal, then most likely your digestion can be considered sluggish. When your digestive system is stressed, your body is forced to devote its energy to digesting and assimilating food, causing you to feel tired.

If you overeat, your body will work harder to fill you up and help your digestive system, and you will feel sleepy. Reduce the amount of food you eat and supplement main meals with small snacks of healthy foods to reduce stress and give your body a rest.

A short walk after eating is a great way to improve digestion - plus the fresh air should give you a burst of energy. You can also try drinking a spoonful of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before each meal, which helps your digestive system do its job.

Iron-deficiency anemia

You are anemic or have been diagnosed with iron deficiency, a fairly common cause of iron deficiency in men and women after menopause. The gastrointestinal tract (both stomach and intestines) is the part of the body that is responsible for digesting food. But there are usually no obvious symptoms of blood loss.

Additionally, insufficient stomach acid, which leads to poor digestion, is another cause of iron deficiency in the body. And digestive disorders such as celiac disease can lead to anemia by impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients from the food it digests.

Brittle nails

Brittle nails can be a good indicator that the stomach is not producing enough acid to digest food properly. This means that the body will not be able to get nutrients from foods such as protein, calcium and zinc - which are essential for strong nails and healthy hair. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, unhealthy nails and hair are considered a sure sign of poor digestion, as they reflect the gastrointestinal tract's ability to process and digest nutrients.

Dermatologists believe that digestive problems are one of the causes of ingrown toenails - but you probably thought that this only happened because the shoes were too tight? Additionally, iron deficiency (as mentioned above) can lead to thinning, depleted nail beds and the growth of concave, raised, or spoon-shaped nails.

Acne and other skin diseases

Many skin conditions (such as acne, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis or rosacea) actually begin in the digestive tract. Therapists emphasize that many diseases that seem completely unrelated to the intestines, including eczema and psoriasis, are actually caused by digestive problems.

If you have dry or flaky skin, it could mean your body is trying to digest fat because you have low levels of the enzyme lipase. Likewise, if digestion is poor and foods are not processed properly, you will not be getting vitamins like A, K and E that are essential for smooth and glowing skin.

Vitamin A is a key factor in preventing acne. Not only does this vitamin restore skin, it also strengthens the immune system, which will help the body fight bacteria that cause acne inflammation. Vitamin K prevents acne, inflammation and speeds up healing; and the antioxidant properties of vitamin E are essential for clear, healthy skin.

Low levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut can also lead to inflammation, which makes the skin look lumpy and worsens skin tone.

Food intolerance and allergies

Digestive problems are believed to be a major factor in the development of food allergies in children. Therefore, it is important not only to identify and avoid foods that cause an allergic reaction, but also to take steps to improve the health of the digestive system as a whole.

Food intolerances can often be caused by a lack of certain digestive enzymes. For example, if there is a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, then the body is unable to digest lactose from dairy products - and you are diagnosed with lactose intolerance.

Allergies and intolerances are not the same thing, although these concepts are interrelated, but these problems should be approached differently. You should consult your doctor to determine what kind of reaction you have to a particular product, as an allergic reaction can be more dangerous than an intolerance.

Arthritis

Poor digestion wreaks havoc on the entire body, and many doctors believe that poor digestion is a major factor in arthritis.

Since digestive problems lead to inflammation in the body, inflammation can also affect the joints, causing pain in them. Therefore, medicine is now beginning to view arthritis as a symptom of poor digestion. The connection between these two diseases has long been recognized in traditional Chinese medicine.

Rheumatoid arthritis (or polyarthritis), a common autoimmune disease, is now increasingly associated with gut health and intestinal permeability. If foods and toxins can disrupt the intestinal tract and enter the body, they can trigger the body's immune response, causing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as a variety of other diseases such as celiac disease, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Today, research is focusing on how these types of autoimmune reactions can be prevented.

Difficulty maintaining weight

According to experts, weight loss may be a symptom of digestive problems due to the body's inability to adequately absorb nutrients.

However, some digestive problems, including slow bowel movements, can lead to weight gain. Another observation from gastroenterologists is that patients suffering from acid reflux or stomach ulcers often eat to temporarily relieve pain. This helps because saliva and food neutralize the acid, but once the food is digested, the pain returns and is even worse as acid production increases.

Bloating caused by poor digestion or food intolerances, and even from medications taken to relieve symptoms of poor digestion, can also be associated with weight gain.

Candidiasis

Candida is a type of yeast that lives naturally in the gastrointestinal tract. While we need a certain level of this yeast in the intestinal tract, problems arise if it begins to overgrow Candida. A yeast infection has many symptoms - and many of them are related to digestive function.

And poor digestion can contribute to the growth of fungal infections. The acid produced in the gastrointestinal tract sterilizes the stomach, killing bacteria and yeast that may enter the body. Therefore, it is very important that the acidity of the stomach remains at an optimal level. However, poor digestion can lead to low levels of stomach acid, which allows bacteria and yeast to enter the intestines, where they multiply and cause health problems.

An overall healthy diet rich in whole foods, probiotics, and fermented foods is the way to go to ensure a healthy and well-functioning digestive system.

While these symptoms individually do not necessarily indicate a digestive disorder, if you have identified several of them, you may want to consider improving your digestive tract. And it's a good idea to see a doctor to diagnose and treat possible diseases.