Fat Malabsorption

There is no essential carbohydrate, making fat malabsorption uniquely dangerous compared to carbohydrate deficiency. Fat malabsorption is a more clinically significant and under-recognized problem than the widely discussed risks of eating fat. Fat malabsorption blocks the uptake of all fat-soluble nutrients, including essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, and cholesterol. Fatty, pale, floating, or foul-smelling stools are physical diagnostic signs of fat malabsorption. Ataxia, including coordination problems and gait disturbances, is a neurological symptom arising from fatty acid and fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies caused by fat malabsorption. Gastric bypass surgery substantially reduces the body's capacity to absorb dietary fats by bypassing the primary sites of nutrient absorption.