The main purpose of the gastrointestinal tract is to digest and absorb nutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein, micronutrients (vitamins and trace minerals), water, and electrolytes. Digestion involves both mechanical and enzymatic breakdown of food. Mechanical processes include chewing, gastric churning, and the to-and-fro mixing in the small intestine. Enzymatic hydrolysis is initiated by intraluminal processes requiring gastric, pancreatic, and biliary secretions. The final products of digestion are absorbed through the intestinal epithelial cells. Malabsorption constitutes the pathological interference with the normal physiological sequence of digestion (intraluminal process), absorption (mucosal process) and transport (postmucosal events) of nutrients. Intestinal malabsorption can be due to: * Congenital or acquired reduction in absorptive surface * Defects of ion transport * Defects of specific hydrolysis * Impaired enterohepatic circulation * Mucosal damage (enteropathy) * Pancreatic insufficiency
symptom of Coeliac disease
symptoms of Helicobacter pylori
symptom of Tropical sprue
symptoms of Crohn's disease
symptom of Irritable bowel syndrome
symptom of Stomach cancer
symptom of Helicobacter pylori
symptom of Gastroesophageal reflux disease