Disorders of metal absorption are a group of diseases that involve the inability of the body to properly absorb certain minerals from foods, including iron, selenium, zinc, and calcium. These disorders can be caused by damage to a part of the digestive system, genetic changes, diseases of the digestive system, or even certain medications that may prevent metals from being absorbed.
Zinc, copper, selenium, iron, chromium, and iodine are all important minerals that the body needs to function. A lack of these minerals in the body can have harmful consequences.
Symptoms of disorders of metal absorption vary based on which mineral is not being absorbed.
Symptoms of improper zinc absorption include:
Symptoms of improper chromium absorption include:
The main symptom of improper iron absorption is called iron-deficiency anaemia. Anaemia is a lack of properly functioning red-blood cells, leading to feeling cold constantly, lack of appetite, feelings of fatigue and weakness, and irritability. Anaemia can be caused by a lack of iron in the body.
Improper absorption of copper is almost always caused by two well-studied inherited disorders, Menke’s disease and Wilson’s disease.
Symptoms of Menkes disease, observed shortly after birth, are:
Symptoms of Wilson’s disease are:
There are two disorders associated with selenium malabsorption, Keshan disease and Kashin-Beck disease.
Keshan disease involves heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms and is often lethal, while Kashin-Beck disease involves deformed arms and legs, joint pain, and improper growth of the joints, muscles, and bones.
The main symptom with malabsorption of iodine is a swelling of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland produces hormones that affect several organ systems. People who don’t receive enough iodine also experience the side effects of an underactive thyroid, which can range from mood changes to fatigue and soreness. Less common side effects of malabsorption of iodine include miscarriage and brain damage in babies.
Malabsorption, or inability to absorb a certain nutrient, can usually be attributed to a genetic change in a gene that helps with digestion, a disease of the digestive tract, physical damage to a part of the digestive system, or medication being taken that interferes with proper digestion of the mineral that is not being absorbed by the body.
Risk factors for disorders of metal absorption include:
Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your medical history and the symptoms you’re having. To make a definitive diagnosis, a stool test will probably be ordered. The amount of nutrients excreted from the body will tell your doctor what isn’t being absorbed properly. Your doctor may also order imaging tests of your digestive system to visualise any physical damage or perform genetic testing to look for inherited disorders.
Complications of disorders of metal absorption include:
Treatment of disorders of metal absorption will be based on:
Treatment will target any symptoms you’re experiencing, treat any related diseases, aim to replace the nutrient that you are not getting enough of, and provide supportive care when necessary.