Faster, more confident malabsorption diagnosis
The right testing for an underrecognized cause of chronic diarrhea
Patients with chronic diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms often face delayed diagnosis and treatment, as many conditions share similar presentations. Our comprehensive malabsorption testing menu helps physicians identify underlying causes with greater confidence, supporting timely treatment decisions while reducing unnecessary invasive procedures and healthcare costs.
Malabsorption testing in practice
Our integration with the clinical practice of Mayo Clinic provides insights that extend beyond the laboratory. The following clinical cases are based on real-world examples of how comprehensive malabsorption testing helps physicians arrive at the right diagnosis for their patients.
Highlights
Learn how our suite of testing reveals the cause of bile acid-induced diarrhea in a 66-year-old woman.
Find out how ileal resection accelerates bile acid malabsorption symptoms in an 80-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease.
Learn how our bile acids malabsorption panel was used to diagnose IBS-D in a 72-year-old woman.
“Bile acid malabsorption was previously an underrecognized cause of chronic diarrhea. Through our research, we've shown that it plays a major role, with a prevalence in the community that is comparable to celiac disease. This has enabled effective treatments that dramatically improve patients' quality of life.”
Leslie Donato, Ph.D., Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic
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The latest in malabsoprtion
Learn how our suite of testing reveals the cause of bile acid-induced diarrhea in a 66-year-old woman.
Find out how ileal resection accelerates bile acid malabsorption symptoms in an 80-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease.
Learn how our bile acids malabsorption panel was used to diagnose IBS-D in a 72-year-old woman.
Mayo Clinic Laboratories has introduced a revolutionary diagnostic test for bile acid malabsorption, a significant contributor to chronic diarrhea. Developed by Dr. Michael Camilleri and Dr. Leslie Donato, this new bile acid malabsorption panel simplifies diagnosis and improves patient care by eliminating the need for special diets or prolonged stool collection. The test's effectiveness has been validated internationally, offering new treatment avenues for patients. Discover how this innovative test is transforming clinical practice and enhancing patient outcomes.
Recorded 2023, reviewed March 2026. Describes testing options for bile acid malabsorption.
Puanani Hopson, D.O., explains how Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ malabsorption panel can provide timelier diagnosis for children with chronic diarrhea or unexplained weight loss. The novel panel, which bundles four existing tests, requires just one stool sample.
Pua Hopson, D.O., discusses Mayo Clinic Labs’ new disaccharidase activity panel, which measures levels of five digestive enzymes to identify deficiencies that cause carbohydrate maldigestion and can lead to chronic conditions like celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Performed on tissue sample biopsies during upper endoscopy, the activity panel is the gold standard test for detecting disaccharidase deficiencies.
Puanani Hopson, D.O., a Mayo Clinic pediatric gastroenterologist, explains the pancreatic elastase test — a screening test that can be useful when symptoms point to the possibility of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Dr. Hopson reviews when this test should be ordered, how it compares to other test options, and how its results can guide further evaluation.