HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Book a video visit
HealthTap
Telehealth
A member asked:

Stool is brown, formed and soft. occ. floats then sinks. seems to have clear haze top of water. had fecal fat test but not 72hr one. fat malabsorption?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Malabsorption?: Usually excess fat in the stool will result in very foul smelling depositions and shiny (covered in oil) stool. Qualitative stool fat test is a good screening tool to detect fat malabsorption.

Dr Fowler and another doctor agreed

Answered 3/13/2014

5.2k views

Thank

Related Questions

A member asked:

Does it stand to reason that floating stool in the absence of fat malabsorption(normal CT scan and 72hr fat test isn't be caused by pancreatic cancer?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Told:fat malabsorption only one stool sample and dr told me to eat hi fat. Had wendys twice that day before sample stools were hard/const. Is he right?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Does floating stool caused by fat malabsorption have an obvious bad smell?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

If malabsorption was the cause of floating stool on and off for almost a year would one be able to maintain thier body wieght?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

My test show that i have malabsorption(fat and amydon on stool) . What diet should i have. And how can i find out what causes it? Thank you!

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Sponsored Content
HealthTap Medical Group does not endorse products or services. Sponsored content revenues support our mission to make health information free and accessible to all.Learn more

People also searched for:

I have oil at the top of my toilet water after bowel movement but my stool doesn't float. Is this still a fat malabsorption problem?
Every time I have a bowel movement the stool floats then let's off bubbles and a liquid at top of water and sinks. Is this malabsorption?
Occasional floating stool, always looks shiny, always brown. Sometimes clear film on water. I eat a lot of both fat and fiber. 22 y/o. Reason toworry?
How frequently would stool have to float to be concern of malabsorption or problem with pancreas? Stool is still brown, formed and soft no wieght loss.
Floating stool can be a sign of malabsorption. But wouldnt blood and stool tests point towards this? How does one test for malabsorption?

Telemedicine

Primary Care
Manage Your Conditions
Women's Health
Children's Health
Men's Health
Senior Health
Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle
Sexual Health
Mental & Behavioral Health
Travel Medicine
Urgent Care
Ask your question
Didn't find what you're looking for?

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.

Ask your question

More of what we treat

Allergies
Antibiotics
Asthma
High Blood Pressure
Prescriptions
Type 2 Diabetes
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.
HealthTap
HIPAA logo
HIPAASecure
Soc 2 Type 2 logo
SOC 2 Type 2Certified
JCAHO Accredited
JCAHOAccredited
Member App

Download HealthTap

Video visit and message your doctor

Member App QR Code
Play Store Member LinkApp Store Member Link

Questions?

+1 (888) 828-0841support@healthtap.com
LinkedInTwitter
HomeTermsPrivacyCookiesDMCAHealth TopicsDoctors DirectoryDoctor Q&A by Specialty
Copyright 2026 HealthTap, Inc.