Which compound is useful in diagnosing steatorrhea?

Which compound is useful in diagnosing steatorrhea?

• A. Vitamin B12
• B. Vitamin C
• C. Carotenoids
• D. Folic acid

Answer: (C)

Steatorrhea comes from impaired fat digestion or fat absorption, so markers that depend on absorbing fats can reveal this problem. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments that are absorbed with dietary fats; when fat absorption is defective, carotenoid uptake into the bloodstream drops, making serum carotenoid levels a useful indicator of fat absorption efficiency. Measuring carotenoids thus helps diagnose steatorrhea because it reflects how well fats are being absorbed. The other options are water-soluble vitamins whose levels are influenced by different factors (such as intrinsic factor or specific intestinal segments) and do not reliably indicate fat malabsorption.

Steatorrhea comes from impaired fat digestion or fat absorption, so markers that depend on absorbing fats can reveal this problem. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments that are absorbed with dietary fats; when fat absorption is defective, carotenoid uptake into the bloodstream drops, making serum carotenoid levels a useful indicator of fat absorption efficiency. Measuring carotenoids thus helps diagnose steatorrhea because it reflects how well fats are being absorbed. The other options are water-soluble vitamins whose levels are influenced by different factors (such as intrinsic factor or specific intestinal segments) and do not reliably indicate fat malabsorption.