Enterolab fat malabsorption test
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Enterolab fat malabsorption test
Anyone have opinions about the usefulness of this test? I have extra flex money to use in a hurry and though this one might be helpful. I'm getting the panel c test which I'm very excited about. I'm having such a problem fine tuning my diet and its hard to blindly eliminate a food to test when I have so few to choose from. There's a reduced rate for the fat malabsorption test when ordered with another panel. My general health still is lacking in many facets I'm willing to look into anything since my GI and optometrist have pretty much written me off as this is as good as it's going to get. I have too much living to do to accept that mentality. I have my kayaks and motorcycle waiting at my cabin so all I need is some warm weather and energy! I'm giving myself until summer to shape up- five years of this sh** has been enough.
DebE,
The fat malabsorption test works by comparing the amount of fat in the stool samples with the amount of fat typically found in a sample from a person who doesn't have a fat malabsorption problem and who includes a normal amount of fat in their diet.
Note that if you are not eating a normal amount of fat, then your test result could show a false negative result, because if the test can't detect any fat in the sample, then your digestion will be deemed to be perfect, by default.
At the the other extreme, if you eat a significantly higher than normal amount of fat, then the test result could possibly show a false positive result (even if you have perfect digestion with no malabsorption problem), based on the fact that you would have more fat in the stool sample than a "normal" sample would contain. This is because residual fat in the sample will obviously be proportional to the total amount of fat in the diet.
Therefore, in order to get a representative (valid) test result, you will need to eat a "normal" (whatever that is) amount of fat for a day or two immediately prior to taking the test sample. Also, the lab recommends not taking any fish oil, flax seed oil, etc., supplements prior to taking the test sample, so that the test result isn't skewed by supplemental oil that a "normal" person probably wouldn't be using.
Personally, I consider it to be a very handy test for checking for any small intestinal damage. My test, for example, showed that I still had a small amount of residual damage to my small intestine, three and a half years after adopting the GF diet. That suggests that the damage was probably major before I adopted the diet (which is why I suspect that I am probably also a celiac).
Tex
The fat malabsorption test works by comparing the amount of fat in the stool samples with the amount of fat typically found in a sample from a person who doesn't have a fat malabsorption problem and who includes a normal amount of fat in their diet.
Note that if you are not eating a normal amount of fat, then your test result could show a false negative result, because if the test can't detect any fat in the sample, then your digestion will be deemed to be perfect, by default.
At the the other extreme, if you eat a significantly higher than normal amount of fat, then the test result could possibly show a false positive result (even if you have perfect digestion with no malabsorption problem), based on the fact that you would have more fat in the stool sample than a "normal" sample would contain. This is because residual fat in the sample will obviously be proportional to the total amount of fat in the diet.
Therefore, in order to get a representative (valid) test result, you will need to eat a "normal" (whatever that is) amount of fat for a day or two immediately prior to taking the test sample. Also, the lab recommends not taking any fish oil, flax seed oil, etc., supplements prior to taking the test sample, so that the test result isn't skewed by supplemental oil that a "normal" person probably wouldn't be using.
Personally, I consider it to be a very handy test for checking for any small intestinal damage. My test, for example, showed that I still had a small amount of residual damage to my small intestine, three and a half years after adopting the GF diet. That suggests that the damage was probably major before I adopted the diet (which is why I suspect that I am probably also a celiac).
I like your attitude.my GI and optometrist have pretty much written me off as this is as good as it's going to get. I have too much living to do to accept that mentality. I have my kayaks and motorcycle waiting at my cabin so all I need is some warm weather and energy! I'm giving myself until summer to shape up- five years of this sh** has been enough.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
So what would be considered "normal?" That confuses me a bit. I tend to add olive oil to my veggies & rice and use the fat drippings off of my meats to add flavor to the rest of my meals. So does that mean I eat excess fat? I think I may but at the same time, I don't eat as much sugar and artificial crap that the general population does......I think my jealousy is showing through. 
I just don't want to invest in a test that could easily be skewed by an unknowing me. Although, it's too late- I already ordered it and can't wait until it comes.
I suppose it's best to wait, take the test, and debate the results once there's actually something to look at. One of the naturalists I visited years ago had brought up the use of digestive enzymes and I tried a variety of supplements which none worked. She finally told me she didn't want to waste my money because she had offered me everything she knew of. At that time, she suggested colonics since it had helped her but that just didn't feel like the right direction so I thanked her for trying. Come to think of it I should get in touch with the handful of naturalists I've seen and give them some insight to the treatment of people like me. I sure wouldn't want others to go through the endless treatments I have without knowing where to start first and to have this site as a tool. You would think its easy to google something but I NEVER though to use "MC" as the topic. I was told I had CC and always referred to it as that. It's a shame that newly diagnosed people are simply told you have CC or LC- we don't know what causes it, there is no cure, but don't worry because you can control it with drugs. Oh yeah, and my favorite- if you're not feeling well just stick to easy to digest things like oatmeal or cream of wheat.
Well, I'm running off on a agent when I didn't mean to...
I tend to purposefully add extra fats to my meals because I am so limited and still feel run down all the time.
I'm hanging at about 130 pounds so I'm not really gaining or loosing weight anymore. I've added lots of nuts to my diet again ( knowing its debatable) but it helps me feel full. I do have surprise visits from Norman while eating them so I figure its not totally sabotaging my efforts. I do believe Norman may be a snowbird because he has been no where to be seen in this frigid Wisconsin weather. I'm particularly interested in the results for rice, potatoes, corn, and almonds. That makes the base of what I eat in addition to meats so hopefully I will get a clear picture of why I am stuck in the same rut.
I just don't want to invest in a test that could easily be skewed by an unknowing me. Although, it's too late- I already ordered it and can't wait until it comes.I suppose it's best to wait, take the test, and debate the results once there's actually something to look at. One of the naturalists I visited years ago had brought up the use of digestive enzymes and I tried a variety of supplements which none worked. She finally told me she didn't want to waste my money because she had offered me everything she knew of. At that time, she suggested colonics since it had helped her but that just didn't feel like the right direction so I thanked her for trying. Come to think of it I should get in touch with the handful of naturalists I've seen and give them some insight to the treatment of people like me. I sure wouldn't want others to go through the endless treatments I have without knowing where to start first and to have this site as a tool. You would think its easy to google something but I NEVER though to use "MC" as the topic. I was told I had CC and always referred to it as that. It's a shame that newly diagnosed people are simply told you have CC or LC- we don't know what causes it, there is no cure, but don't worry because you can control it with drugs. Oh yeah, and my favorite- if you're not feeling well just stick to easy to digest things like oatmeal or cream of wheat.
Well, I'm running off on a agent when I didn't mean to...I tend to purposefully add extra fats to my meals because I am so limited and still feel run down all the time.
I'm hanging at about 130 pounds so I'm not really gaining or loosing weight anymore. I've added lots of nuts to my diet again ( knowing its debatable) but it helps me feel full. I do have surprise visits from Norman while eating them so I figure its not totally sabotaging my efforts. I do believe Norman may be a snowbird because he has been no where to be seen in this frigid Wisconsin weather. I'm particularly interested in the results for rice, potatoes, corn, and almonds. That makes the base of what I eat in addition to meats so hopefully I will get a clear picture of why I am stuck in the same rut.
DebE wrote:So what would be considered "normal?" That confuses me a bit. I tend to add olive oil to my veggies & rice and use the fat drippings off of my meats to add flavor to the rest of my meals. So does that mean I eat excess fat?
I've always eaten a lot of animal fats, (except for when I was recovering, which included the time frame when I did the EnteroLab test), but I'm not normal, so I'm not a good judge of what's "normal". The test probably allows for a fair amount of variability among diets.By the way, Cream of Wheat is exactly what my GI doc recommended when I asked about recommendations of foods that were easy to digest, 12 years ago.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.