Intestinal disorder

When I have a bowel movement it has an offensive smell that lingers, regardless of what I have eaten. It’s embarrassing to share a room. I am worried that there is something seriously wrong with me. I don’t eat sugary things. I don’t smoke and only have the occasional drink. My doctor prescribed Colofac to no avail. I have also tried Fybogel. I take vitamin C, krill oil, probiotic acidophilus and multi-vitamins. Also my hair and toenails are in poor condition.

A: It sounds as if you have some form of intestinal disorder. The fact that your hair and toenails are in poor condition suggests that your intestines are not absorbing the nutrients from your food. In conjunction with your other bowel symptoms, it appears as if a gluten intolerance may be at the root of your problems.

In some individuals, the gluten can effectively gum up the intestinal villi — tiny fingerlike projections on the intestinal lining which slow down the passage of food particles, along with vastly increasing the surface area of the intestines in order to maximise absorption. When the villi are ‘glued’ together for whatever reason, the intestines are no longer able to function optimally. This means that no matter how healthy your diet and supplements are, the body is not able to effectively extract and utilise what it needs.