What Are The Symptoms Of Short Bowel Syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue

Chronic fatigue is a common symptom in individuals with short bowel syndrome because the disorder directly interferes with how the body turns food into usable cellular energy. Dietary energy comes from proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the food that is consumed. In a healthy individual, the digestive enzymes in the stomach and small intestine break these elements down into fragments the small intestine can absorb. Once absorbed, the nutrients are processed by the liver into amino acids and sugars that can be transported to the cells around the body. Once delivered to the cells, glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids are metabolized by the mitochondria of the cell. This mechanism produces ATP or a form of energy the cells can use. Without adequate amounts of ATP, the cells cannot perform their functions. Short bowel syndrome patients have a small intestine that cannot properly absorb the fragments of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins from digested food. Without sufficient amino acids, glucose, or fatty acids, the cells cannot produce enough ATP. Lack of cellular energy around the body can quickly make patients feel tired, sluggish, and fatigued frequently.

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Steatorrhea

Steatorrhea is the term that describes too much fat presence in the stool. It can take on a frothy, foamy, or mucous-filled appearance with a foul smell. This type of stool often presents as yellow, green, grey, or light brown. When too much fat is in the stool, the body is not adequately breaking food down. The stomach digests food and moves it into the small intestine where enzymes are released. Each enzyme has a role in the further breakdown of nutrients. Certain enzymes break proteins down into amino acids, starches into glucose, and fats into fatty acids. The substance responsible for the conversion of fats into fatty acids is called bile, and it is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When bile is needed, it is secreted into the small intestine. The ilium part of the small intestine is responsible for reabsorbing bile so it can be recycled. However, some short bowel syndrome patients do not have the full ilium section of their small intestine. This absence means bile is not reabsorbed for reuse, and the body is unable to compensate with enough bile production to fully digest fats. The undigested fat is what forms steatorrhea.

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