Steatorrhea is the presence of fat in the stool, which usually happens due to the excessive consumption of high-fat foods, such as fried foods, sausages and even avocado, for example.
However, the presence of fat in the stool, especially in the baby, can also happen when there is a disease that is preventing the body from properly absorbing food, such as:
- Lactose intolerance; Celiac disease; Cystic fibrosis; Crohn's disease; Whipple's disease.
In addition, in adults, situations such as the removal of the small intestine, parts of the stomach or the postoperative period in cases of obesity can also cause malabsorption and lead to the appearance of steatorrhea.
Thus, if whitish patches appear in the stool with an oily appearance or the stool becomes more whitish or orange, or the stool test shows changes, it is recommended to consult a general practitioner or a gastroenterologist to do other tests, such as colonoscopy or intolerance tests, for identify the specific cause and initiate appropriate treatment.
How to know if I have fat in my stool
Symptoms of fat in stools are usually associated with large-volume, smelly, greasy-looking stools that float in water. However, symptoms can also be:
- Extreme tiredness; Excessive or orange-colored diarrhea; Sudden weight loss; Abdominal stretching with cramps; Nausea and vomiting.
When an individual has some of these symptoms, he or she should seek medical advice from a gastroenterologist to diagnose the cause of excess fat in the stool and initiate appropriate treatment. If yellow stools are present, see the main causes here.
In the case of the baby, it is also common to have difficulty gaining weight and feces with a very pasty appearance or even diarrhea.
How to prepare for the exam
The stool fat test assesses the amount of fat present in the stool, from the food eaten, bile, intestinal secretion and peeled cells. Thus, to take the fecal fat test, you should eat foods high in fat up to 3 days before the analysis and, on the day, you should take a sample at home. The sample must be placed in the bottle provided by the laboratory and kept in the refrigerator until it is taken to the laboratory.
Learn how to collect feces correctly:
How to treat
To eliminate excess fat in the stool, which is identified in the stool test when the amount of fat is above 6%, it is recommended to reduce the intake of fats in the diet and therefore it is very important to avoid including foods in the diet with bad fats like red meat, yellow cheese or bacon.
However, when it is not possible to treat steatorrhea with changes in diet alone, it is advisable to consult a gastroenterologist for diagnostic tests, such as colonoscopy or stool examination, which help to identify if there is any disease that may be causing the appearance of fat in feces. In these cases, the type of treatment varies according to the problem identified, and may include the use of medication or surgery, for example.
