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Hi Leslie and list members,

I've had several inquiries about malabsorption, so I'm posting this to the
entire list.

I'll probably be able to tell you more in a week or so. There's a test call
a d-xylose test that measures absorption. I'll be undergoing that next
Tuesday. Basically, you drink some radioactive (very small amount -so they
say) stuff. Then they collect your urine for 5 hours. They can tell how
well you absorb this simple sugar, and can determine how well you absorb
food in general.

I've also had stool samples analyzed, which can indicate what your body
digests. This was a few years ago. [I had to laugh when the doctor
exclaimed "You didn't digest any vegetables at all!" and then seemed to
want me to explain why. He's also the one who didn't do a biopsy, and I've
never understood why not. I don't see him anymore.]

Finally, there's a B-12 absorption test called a Schilling Test. You take a
small amount of radioactive B-12 in capsule form. Then you get an injection
of B-12 and collect urine for 24 hours. Depending on how much radioactive
B-12 you collect, they can determine how well you absorb B-12. [There's a
second part to this, which is pretty much the same procedure, but they add
intrinsic factor, which is required to absorb B-12. This tells if your body
produces intrinsic factor.]

Also, I've just come upon a very complete and well written article aboud
celiac disease. Here's the URL:
   http://www.ozemail.com.au/~coeliac/sprue.html
It describes different tests, including the d-xylose test. [My apologies to
listmembers if this is a duplicate of a previous posting.]

I'll keep you posted. Good health to all...

Anne in Cambridge