What is the cause of oily stools? How can it be treated? Get answers to your questions about fatty, greasy, or oily stool.

Ulcerative Colitis – A Serious Cause of Oily Stools

Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that leads to sores, or ulcers, on the inner lining of the large intestine. This chronic inflammation can cause a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, including oily or fatty stools. The exact cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, but it is thought to involve an autoimmune response and genetic factors. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea with blood, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue. Diagnosis is made through patient history, physical exam, blood tests, stool tests, and sometimes endoscopic examination. Treatment typically involves medication to address the abnormal immune response, as well as dietary changes and sometimes surgery.

Pancreatic Cancer – A Potential Cause of Greasy Stools

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, or pancreatic exocrine cancer, occurs when tumors develop in the exocrine cells of the pancreas. These cells produce enzymes that help digest fats. The tumors may be benign or malignant. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, alcoholism, exposure to certain chemicals, family history, and pre-existing conditions like diabetes or pancreatitis. Symptoms can include jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, abdominal/back pain, loss of appetite, and unintended weight loss. Diagnosis involves patient history, physical exam, blood tests, imaging, and sometimes biopsy. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, pain management, and psychological support.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – A Common Cause of Oily Stools

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder where the colon’s muscles contract either too strongly or too weakly, leading to alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation. The exact cause is unknown, but may involve food intolerance, stress, hormonal imbalances, and an oversensitive gastrointestinal nervous system. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. IBS is not associated with serious illness like cancer, but it can significantly impact quality of life. Diagnosis is made by ruling out other conditions, and treatment focuses on dietary changes, stress management, and medications as needed.

Diabetes Insipidus – A Rare Cause of Excessive Urination and Thirst

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare condition caused by a lack of or decreased sensitivity to the hormone vasopressin. Vasopressin is needed for the kidneys to concentrate urine, and without it, the body loses too much fluid, leading to frequent urination and extreme thirst. DI is different from diabetes mellitus, which is caused by problems with insulin. If you experience these symptoms, you should see your doctor, who will likely order urine and blood tests to diagnose DI.

Cystic Fibrosis – A Genetic Disorder Affecting Multiple Organs

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the mucus and sweat glands, particularly in the lungs. The thick, sticky mucus can clog the lungs, leading to breathing problems and making it easier for bacteria to grow, causing repeated lung infections. CF can also affect other organs like the pancreas. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic cough, salty-tasting skin, decreased exercise tolerance, and recurrent urinary incontinence. CF is a rare but serious genetic condition that requires comprehensive medical management.

Chronic Hepatitis C – A Viral Liver Infection

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver. It is spread through direct contact with infected blood, such as from sharing needles or other drug equipment. Chronic hepatitis C can lead to serious liver damage over time, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Symptoms may include fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Diagnosis involves blood tests, and treatment typically includes antiviral medication. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent long-term liver complications.

Celiac Disease – An Autoimmune Condition Affecting the Small Intestine

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the small intestine in response to the consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. This can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, including oily, fatty stools. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and unintended weight loss. Diagnosis is made through blood tests and endoscopic examination of the small intestine. The only effective treatment is a strict gluten-free diet, which allows the small intestine to heal.

Fatty Stool? 10 Reasons You’re Having Oily Stool, Treatment & More

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis means there are sores, or ulcers, on the inner lining of the large intestine. This causes the chronic inflammation within the large intestine known as colitis. It is a form of inflammatory bowel disease.

The exact cause of ulcerative colitis is not known, but family history and an autoimmune disorder within the large intestine are thought to be involved. Most susceptible are those under age 30 and over age 60.

Symptoms include abdominal pain and cramping; diarrhea with blood; nausea; loss of appetite; weight loss; and fatigue. There may also be fever, anemia, and joint pain.

Diagnosis is made through patient history; physical examination; blood tests; stool sample tests; and, in some cases, endoscopic examination of the large intestine with biopsy of the damaged tissue.

Treatment involves referral to a gastroenterologist and addressing the abnormal autoimmune response. Medications such as corticosteroids or immunomodulators will be prescribed, often for life, along with acetaminophen for pain, antibiotics for infection, and changes in diet. Surgery may be tried in some cases.

Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is also called pancreatic exocrine cancer, and means that tumors have begun to grow in the exocrine cells of the pancreas. These cells manufacture the enzymes that help digest fats. The tumors may be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous.)

The exact cause of any pancreatic cancer is unknown. Risk factors include smoking; obesity; alcoholism; exposure to certain chemicals; family history of the disease; and pre-existing diabetes, pancreatitis, or cirrhosis of the liver.

Symptoms include jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and eyes; dark urine; pale-colored stools; abdominal and/or back pain; loss of appetite; and unintended weight loss.

Diagnosis is made through patient history; physical examination; blood tests; abdominal imaging such as ultrasound or CT scan; and sometimes biopsy of the pancreas or other minor surgical procedure to help make the diagnosis.

Treatment involves a combination of several methods, including chemotherapy; radiation therapy; surgery to remove all or part of the pancreas as well as to help relieve some of the symptoms of the disease; pain management; and psychological support.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, unintentional weight loss

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome is commonly known as IBS. Normally, the muscles of the colon, or large intestine, contract and relax to push food along. It’s thought that in IBS, the muscles randomly contract either too strongly or too weakly and therefore cause alternating bouts of diarrhea or constipation.

The exact cause is not known. Food allergy/intolerance; stress; hormonal imbalance; and infection or bacterial overgrowth in the colon may play a role, as well as an overly sensitive gastrointestinal nervous system.

Pre-menopausal women who suffer from depression or lead very stressful lives may be most susceptible.

Symptoms vary among individuals, and often come and go. These include abdominal pain and cramping; bloating; gas; diarrhea; and constipation. IBS is not associated with serious illness such as cancer, but symptoms may interfere with quality of life.

Diagnosis is made through patient history, physical examination, and ruling out any other cause. Imaging may also be done.

Treatment begins with improved diet and stress management. Antibiotics, antidepressants, and other medications may be attempted.

Diabetes insipidus

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is caused by a lack of, or decreased sensitivity to the hormone vasopressin. Vasopressin is needed for the kidneys to concentrate urine, making sure you do lose to much fluids. If this function is impaired, it will result in urinating frequently and large amounts, extreme thirst and dehydration.

You should visit your physician to discuss these symptoms. It is likely a urine test and blood test will be ordered.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: fatigue, irritability, constipation, excesive thirst, dry mouth

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease of the mucus and sweat glands, affecting multiple organs, especially the lungs. The mucus clogs the lungs, causing breathing problems and making it easy for bacteria to grow. This can lead to problems such as repeated lung infections and lung damage.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: shortness of breath, productive cough, salty-tasting skin, decreased exercise tolerance, recurring problem with leaking urine

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Chronic hepatitis C

hepatitis B, or “hep B,” is a viral liver infection. It is spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, especially through sexual contact and/or sharing needles. A baby can be infected by the mother during birth; however, the newborn can receive a vaccine to protect it.

Symptoms appear one to four months after exposure and include abdominal pain; nausea and vomiting; joint pain; fever; dark urine; and jaundice, which is yellowing of skin and whites of eyes.

If not treated, hepatitis B can become chronic – especially in children. This increases the risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis (damage from scarring.) hepatitis B is a medical emergency and requires immediate care.

Diagnosis is made through blood tests and sometimes through liver biopsy.

Acute hepatitis B can be managed with rest, fluids, and good nutrition while the body fights the virus. However, a chronic infection may be treated with antiviral medications or liver transplant.

There is a vaccine for hepatitis B, recommended for anyone at risk.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, loss of appetite, joint pain

Symptoms that never occur with chronic hepatitis c: pain in the lower right abdomen, pain in the lower left abdomen, pain in the upper left abdomen, pain around the belly button

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Chronic gallstones

Gallstones are small, pebble-like, mineral deposits that can form inside the gallbladder. They may cause no symptoms unless they become lodged in a duct leading out of the gallbladder.

Gallstones are thought to be caused by high cholesterol, which can form into crystals in the gallbladder; by cirrhosis, or scarring, of the liver; or by incomplete emptying of the gallbladder.

Most susceptible are women over age 40. Other risk factors are obesity, lack of exercise, poor diet, and rapid weight loss as with gastric bypass surgery.

Symptoms include sudden sharp pain in the center or upper right abdomen, in the right shoulder, and in the upper back. There may also be nausea and vomiting, yellowing of skin and eyes, and fever and chills.

It’s important to see a medical provider for these symptoms. Gallstones can lead to pain, infection, and further complications.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination, CT scan, blood tests, and sometimes specialized scans to examine the gallbladder system.

Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the stones and sometimes the gallbladder itself.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: nausea, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, vomiting, pain in the upper right abdomen

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is also called gluten-sensitive enteropathy, coeliac, or sprue. It is an autoimmune response in the gut to gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.

Repeated exposure to gluten causes damage to the lining of the small intestine.

Most at risk are Caucasians with:

• Family history of celiac disease.
• Down syndrome.
• Type 1 diabetes.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Autoimmune thyroid disease.

Symptoms include digestive upset with gas, bloating, and diarrhea. The malnutrition causes fatigue, weight loss, fragile bones, severe skin rash, mouth ulcers, anemia, and damage to the spleen and nervous system.

A swollen belly, failure to thrive, muscle wasting, and learning disabilities are seen in children, and normal growth and development can be severely affected.

Diagnosis is made through blood testing and endoscopy, and sometimes biopsy of the small intestine.

There is no cure for the condition, but celiac disease can be managed by removing all gluten from the diet. Nutritional supplements will be used and sometimes steroid medication is given to help heal the gut.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: fatigue, stomach bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which creates and releases insulin and glucagon to keep the sugar levels in your blood stable. It also creates the enzymes that digest your food in the small intestine. When these enzymes accidentally get activated in the pancreas, they digest the pancreas itself, causing pain and inflammation.

You should go to the ER. There, diagnosis is made by physical examination, imaging, and blood tests. Treatment typically involves intravenous (IV) fluids and medicines to control the pain.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: constant abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, being severely ill, severe abdominal pain, fever

Symptoms that always occur with acute pancreatitis: constant abdominal pain

Urgency: Hospital emergency room

Gallstones

Gallstones are small, round deposits found in the gallbladder, the organ where bile is stored. Gallstones can be subclassified a number of ways. Oftentimes, gallstones will be referred to as either cholesterol stones or pigment stones depending on the makeup of the gallstone.

Gallstones can also be class…

• Have you experienced any nausea?
• Have you been feeling more tired than usual, lethargic or fatigued despite sleeping a normal amount?
• Any fever today or during the last week?
• Have you had any changes in your weight?

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.

Steatorrhea (Fatty Stool): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Steatorrhea is too much fat in the feces. It’s can be caused by eating too many fatty foods or by malabsorption. This means your body isn’t absorbing nutrients or making the enzymes needed to digest food.

You may not think much about the makeup of your stool. Most of it is water, and the rest is a combination of:

• bacteria
• fats
• fiber
• mucus
• protein
• salts
• various cell linings

If you’re experiencing steatorrhea, make an appointment with your doctor. They can help you figure out the underlying cause and recommend treatment options.

If you have steatorrhea, your stools may be:

• bulkier
• pale
• foul smelling
• floating

The stools also tend to be covered in a greasy film. You might even see drops of oil in the water inside the toilet bowl.

Steatorrhea is only one of several common symptoms of malabsorption. Others include:

• abdominal cramps
• diarrhea
• gas
• indigestion
• weight loss

Too much fat in your stool suggests your digestive system isn’t breaking down food adequately. Your body may not absorb the useful parts of the food you eat, including dietary fat.

One of the most common causes of malabsorption is cystic fibrosis. This is an inherited condition that affects your sweat and mucous glands, as well as various organs in your body, including the pancreatic glands.

If steatorrhea is due to malabsorption, it can most often be related to problems with pancreas function. The pancreatic juices are important in digesting fat content.

Another cause of malabsorption that can lead to steatorrhea is chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of your pancreas, an organ near your stomach. It releases enzymes to help you digest fat, protein, and carbohydrates in your small intestine.

Chronic pancreatitis can have many different causes. Some examples include alcohol use disorder, smoking, and family history.

Fatty stool is also a symptom of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). EPI is a condition where your pancreas doesn’t make or release enough of the enzymes needed to help your digestive system break down food and absorb nutrients.

With EPI, steatorrhea happens when your digestive system gets rid of too many fats instead of absorbing them. This usually occurs when fat-digesting enzymes in your pancreas drop to 5 to 10 percent of typical levels.

A few other causes of malabsorption include:

• Biliary atresia: a blockage in the ducts that carry bile (a fluid that helps your body digest and get rid of certain waste products) from your liver to your gallbladder
• Celiac disease: when you have a sensitivity to gluten, a protein in wheat and certain other grains
• Crohn’s disease: one of several conditions under the label inflammatory bowel disease, an inflammation of your gastrointestinal tract
• Lactose intolerance: the inability to digest a sugar in milk products because you lack the enzyme lactase
• Whipple disease: a bacterial infection of your digestive system that affects how your body breaks down fats and carbohydrates

If you notice that your stool floats and appears greasy, pale, and abnormally foul smelling, you should talk with your doctor.

This is especially true if you have other symptoms of malabsorption, such as weight loss or cramps.

In addition to reviewing your medical history and symptoms, your doctor will likely order two common tests for steatorrhea. One is a qualitative test of fecal fat; the other is a quantitative test of fecal fat.

Qualitative test

The qualitative test measures the number of fat globules (drops) in one stool sample.

Typical levels are fewer than 50 neutral fat globules and fewer than 100 fatty acid fat globules, both as seen under a microscope.

Quantitative test

For a quantitative test, you must collect stool samples over a period of 2 to 4 days. All the samples are then studied to determine the total amount of fat in each day’s stool.

Average test results would show 2 to 7 grams per 24 hours for adults, with fat making up less than 20 percent of the solid stool sample.

For an infant, there should be less than 1 gram per 24 hours. For bottle-fed babies, fat should make up 30 to 50 percent of the stool sample. For breastfed babies, a normal result ranges from 10 to 40 percent.

D-xylose test

Your doctor might also recommend a D-xylose absorption test. This is another test that’s done when malabsorption is suspected.

D-xylose is a kind of sugar. This test measures the levels of D-xylose in your blood or urine.

Other tests

Your doctor may order other tests to make a diagnosis.

For example, if you have symptoms after eating wheat, your doctor can do specific tests to check for celiac disease. The same is true for lactose intolerance and other potential causes. Be sure to discuss these tests with your doctor.

Treating steatorrhea is really about treating the underlying cause or causes of this condition. And because malabsorption can have many causes, it will be important to get a reliable diagnosis.

For diet-related causes, the treatment is usually a matter of avoiding the foods that trigger your symptoms.

For example, if you’re lactose intolerant, you’ll need to avoid milk products or perhaps consume them in very small doses. This will depend on the severity of your lactose intolerance.

For celiac disease, avoiding wheat and other foods that contain gluten will be your most effective treatment.

EPI is typically treated with medications, dietary changes, and nutrition supplements. Often supplementary pancreatic enzymes may be prescribed. Your treatment plan will depend on your symptoms and the cause behind your EPI.

For causes such as cystic fibrosis or chronic pancreatitis, medications and lifestyle changes will be necessary.

Bitterness in the mouth – the causes of occurrence, in which diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment

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Bitterness in the mouth: the causes of occurrence, in which diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

Definition

Very often, when a symptom such as a taste of bitterness in the mouth appears, patients do not rush to visit the doctor, but try to cope with it on their own, eating or drinking an unpleasant sensation, as well as using all kinds of rinses. In order to effectively get rid of bitterness in the mouth, one should consider the varieties and possible causes of its occurrence.

Varieties of bitterness in the mouth

In most cases, bitterness in the mouth is felt in the morning – immediately after waking up. After hygiene measures, eating, it may disappear until the next morning.

Sometimes the bitter taste resumes after physical work, sharp bends or in a horizontal position.

Bitterness may occur after taking medications (antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, hypolipidemic, antihypertensive, hypnotic drugs) or certain foods (for example, pine nuts and almonds), indicating that it is not associated with diseases.

Sometimes patients, especially the elderly, complain of a bitter taste in any food.

Possible causes of bitterness in the mouth

Bitterness in the mouth can be caused by poor oral hygiene and inflammatory diseases (most often of the gums). In these cases, the remnants of food, accumulating between the teeth and in the pockets of the gums, begin to decompose and give an unpleasant aftertaste, accompanied by a putrid odor.

A fairly common cause of a bitter taste is the accumulation of combustion products of tobacco mixtures (tars) on the mucous membrane of the mouth.

However, the main cause of bitter taste complaints is associated with reflux (throwing) of bile into the esophagus and oral cavity.

Usually such a symptom is not the only one, sometimes it is accompanied by vomiting of bile, belching, pain and a feeling of swelling in the stomach. Pain is also possible in the upper abdomen and in the right hypochondrium, sometimes it radiates to the back and / or the right subscapular region. The pain does not change and does not decrease after a bowel movement, with a change in body position, after taking antacids (drugs that relieve heartburn).

The most common cause of reflux of bile into the esophagus is impaired motility (dyskinesia) of the gastrointestinal tract and biliary tract. Bile is necessary for the emulsification of fats, which determines its production and entry into the duodenum.

When there is a violation of motility, bile from the duodenum enters back into the stomach (duodenogastric reflux).

And in cases where the lower esophageal sphincter is also open, bile enters the esophagus (duodenogastroesophageal reflux) and the oral cavity, causing a feeling of bitterness.

This occurs with duodenal ulcers, obesity, diabetes mellitus, low-calorie diet, during pregnancy, and when feeding through a nasogastric tube (a thin tube is passed through the nose into the stomach so that liquid food can be delivered. This is necessary if the patient is unable to eat in the usual way.).

Nasogastric tube feeding

Bile reflux also occurs due to bile stasis in the duodenum (duodenostasis) after removal of the gallbladder. Overflow of the duodenum leads to excitation of the vomiting center and causes nausea, vomiting and a bitter taste in the mouth.

Bitterness in the mouth due to impaired biliary motility also accompanies a number of systemic diseases treated by a rheumatologist.

Biliary dyskinesia is characteristic of hormonal disorders (including hormone replacement therapy). With disorders of the brain, in particular with damage to the medulla oblongata, dyskinesia is caused by a violation of the nervous and endocrine regulation of the biliary (biliary) tract.

Which doctors to contact if there is bitterness in the mouth

When a feeling of bitterness appears in the mouth, it is first necessary to sanitize the oral cavity by visiting a dentist.

If there are no dental problems, contact

GP

to get a referral for the necessary tests. After the patient has been interviewed and the results of blood and urine tests are received, treatment can continue.

gastroenterologist

or

endocrinologist

.

Diagnostics and examinations in case of bitterness in the mouth

If the examination does not reveal any dental problems, as well as signs of rheumatological (systemic) diseases, the doctor prescribes the patient clinical and biochemical blood tests to assess the level of liver enzymes (ALT, AST) , bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase, urinalysis.

Blood test. Complete blood count (without leukocyte formula and ESR) (Complete Blood Count, CBC)

Synonyms: UAC. CBC without differential.

Brief description of the study Complete blood count

Blood consists of a liquid part (plasma) and cellular, shaped elements…

Up to 1 business day

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Blood biochemistry: advanced profile

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Liver function tests: extended

Up to 1 business day

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General urinalysis (Urine analysis with sediment microscopy)

Method of determination

Determination of physical and chemical parameters is carried out on an automatic analyzer using the “dry chemistry” method.

Hardware microscope…

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If the interview confirms the association of a bitter taste with food intake or physical activity, or the patient underwent surgery on the stomach, intestines or gallbladder, this may indicate bile reflux. To confirm the diagnosis, an ultrasound of the gallbladder is performed; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic manometry of the sphincter of Oddi may also be prescribed.

Ultrasound of the gallbladder

Examination of the gallbladder to diagnose the state of the organ and the presence of pathological changes.

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However, the main method for diagnosing duodenogastric and duodenogastroesophageal reflux is daily intragastric and intraesophageal pH-metry. The diagnosis is confirmed by an increase in the acidity (pH) of the body of the stomach above 5, not associated with food intake. Duodenogastric reflux is considered severe if reflux episodes exceed 10% of monitoring time.

What should I do if my mouth is bitter?

Make sure that the feeling of bitterness does not arise in connection with the intake of drugs and is not associated with smoking. If bitterness appears in the mouth after eating or exercising, in particular bending over, it is necessary to change the diet, reducing the time between meals and reducing portions.

Do not lie down or bend over immediately after eating. You should not eat in a hurry or in a stressful environment, as stress causes spastic phenomena that provoke reflux.

The regulation of the activity of the hepatobiliary system very often helps to restore normal weight – obesity always leads to impaired liver function, its fatty infiltration, cholestasis, cholangitis and cholelithiasis. If, despite reflux prevention measures, a feeling of bitterness becomes a constant symptom, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. Gastroduodenal and gastroduodenoesophageal reflux, not diagnosed in time, turns into gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is much more difficult to treat.

Treatment of diseases accompanied by bitterness in the mouth

If the feeling of bitterness is caused by gum disease, poor dental and oral hygiene, hygiene measures can solve the problem.

Diseases such as diabetes mellitus and rheumatological diseases require pathogenetic therapy.

If the feeling of bitterness in the mouth is due to biliary disorders, treatment involves the normalization of the activity of the gallbladder, biliary tract and sphincter of Oddi. In these cases, the doctor may prescribe drugs of several groups. In combination, they should enhance the secretion of bile and motility of the gallbladder (ursodeoxycholic acid preparations and herbal remedies), and also have an antispasmodic effect on the sphincter of Oddi. It is also necessary to normalize the processes of digestion using enzymatic preparations. The state of dyspepsia requires the restoration of the intestinal microflora, for which the doctor may prescribe probiotics. Improving the rheological properties of bile with the help of diet and drinking regimen has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Fatty, fried, smoked, spicy and alcohol are excluded from the diet.

During an exacerbation of the disease, you should not eat foods that have a choleretic effect (thermally untreated vegetable oils, citrus fruits, apples, bananas, dried apricots, etc.).

Sources:

1. Shcherbenkov I.M. Possibilities of treatment of biliary dyskinesia. Medical Council, journal. No. 1, 2013. S. 47-51.
2. Sereda N.N. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Siberian Medical Journal. No. 4, 2014. P. 133-139.

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes over time, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.

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They say you need to take omega-3 for health.

Is it true? — Meduza

1

What happened?

In the fall of 2019, a scientific article was published stating that omega-3 supplements reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and overall cardiovascular mortality. The Harvard School of Public Health conducted a meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of long-chain omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and concluded that they are beneficial.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then considered compelling evidence that the prescription drug Vascepa reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previously, this statement was classified as unconfirmed, but now this is written right in the instructions.

At the same time, on January 15, 2020, it became known that two other similar drugs did not show sufficient effect in clinical studies. All of this conflicting data brings up the old question again: Should you take omega-3 supplements to improve your health?

2

Let’s start from the beginning.

Why is there so much fuss about omega-3s?

Omega-3 fatty acids are needed by the body and are not synthesized in it, so they must come from food. They are part of cell membranes, and also form biologically active compounds that prevent inflammation, vasoconstriction and other processes that are unfavorable for the cardiovascular system. The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for all of this can be obtained from oily marine fish and seafood.

3

And from special preparations, right?

Yes, but in fact everything is complicated here. The mentioned meta-analysis is not the only one published in recent years. From 2012 to 2018, four large meta-analyses of randomized trials (1, 2, 3, 4) were published, which came to the general conclusion that omega-3 supplements do not reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes and other serious vascular events.

Then, in July 2018, the largest Cochrane meta-analysis to date was published 79RCT. In total, 112 thousand people took part in these studies. A meta-analysis examined the effects of omega-3 supplementation on mortality and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Participants took long-chain omega-3 supplements for one to six years at a dose of 0.5 to 5 grams per day (16 RCTs had doses of at least three grams per day). Moreover, 0.25 grams received with food is considered a sufficient amount for the prevention of various diseases.

As a result, it turned out that Omega-3 supplementation has no effect on overall mortality or cardiovascular disease . They do not reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, strokes and arrhythmias. The authors consider these data to be of high quality.

4

And why does the Harvard meta-analysis have different conclusions?

This is an extremely interesting question. To begin with, we need to look at how the studies were selected for this meta-analysis, who exactly received the supplements and what kind of supplements they were.

Selected studies included non-healthy people. They were mostly overweight people, and at the beginning of the study they were on average 64 years old. Almost 40% of them were diagnosed with diabetes, more than 70% were taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.

As epidemiologist Anton Barchuk explained, it was the inclusion in the meta-analysis of patients from a study called VITAL, of which there were quite a lot, that gave a small reduction in the risk of developing serious cardiovascular outcomes. However, it is important what is the practical, and not the statistical significance of taking these drugs. Of the 1,000 people who took omega-3s, 123 developed cardiovascular disease. For those who did not take, there are 126 people with poor outcomes per 1,000 volunteers. That is, three people in 1,000 noticed the difference.

In addition, in the two new RCTs included in the meta-analysis (mentioned VITAL and also ASCEND), participants only received prescription omega-3 supplements at precisely known dosages. In both cases, it was 0.84 grams of long-chain omega-3s per day.

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And what does that mean? Should I take dietary supplements or not?

Probably not. Just because prescription drugs may be helpful for some patients with cardiovascular disease does not mean that dietary supplements with widely varying doses of omega-3s should be taken by everyone and that they are effective. In addition, dietary supplements may differ from drugs in composition: they may contain omega-3 in the form of triglycerides, free fatty acids, ethyl esters, and phospholipids. The bioavailability of key substances also differs, that is, they enter the bloodstream with different success.

The American Heart Association warns that omega-3 supplements should not be used in place of prescription drugs.

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But there is no harm from additives either? Why not take them just in case?

We do not know how safe these dietary supplements are. Regulatory authorities insist on sufficiently low dosages of active ingredients in supplements, thus seeking to protect consumers.