Dietary Impact

The body naturally regulates stool consistency and maintains electrolyte balance.

✅ Ostomates must adjust their diet to: - Manage stool consistency - Prevent nutrient deficiencies - Avoid blockages - Maintain hydration & electrolyte balance

Nutrient Absorption Impact

Nutrients are absorbed based on their location in the digestive tract.

💡 Both colostomy & ileostomy may cause malabsorption of key nutrients.

Ileostomy (Ostomy in the Small Intestine)

Food passes from the small intestine to the colon for final water absorption before stool formation.

🚨 Bypassing the colon leads to watery stools, electrolyte loss, and dehydration risk. 🚨 Nutrient deficiencies (especially fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamin B12) are common.

Colostomy (Ostomy in the Large Intestine)

Normal stool passes through the colon, where water is reabsorbed, and exits through the rectum.

💡 Descending or sigmoid colostomy → Minimal impact, stool is semi-soft to formed. 🚨 Transverse colostomy → Less water reabsorption, stool is semi-liquid to pasty. 🚨 Ascending colostomy → Significant water loss, stool is liquid or very soft, increasing dehydration risk.

Large Intestine (Colon)

Absorbs water, vitamin K, biotin, sodium, chloride, potassium, short-chain fatty acids.

Colostomy impact: 🚨 Reduced water absorption, increasing risk of dehydration (especially in an ascending colostomy).

Ileum (Last part of the Small Intestine)

Absorbs vitamin C, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, bile salts, and acids.

Ileostomy impact: 🚨 Vitamin B12 deficiency may occur. 🚨 Fat digestion issues due to loss of bile salt absorption. 🚨 Increased fluid loss, leading to higher dehydration risk.

Jejunum (Middle part of the Small Intestine)

Absorbs fats, sugars (monosaccharides), amino acids, small peptides, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, A, D, E, K), minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, chromium, manganese, molybdenum).

If a large part is bypassed, there may be malabsorption of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins.

Duodenum (First part of the Small Intestine)

Absorbs calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, D, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, folate.

f bypassed in certain surgeries, absorption of calcium, iron, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) may decrease.

Stomach

Absorbs water, ethyl alcohol, copper, iodine, fluoride.

No major impact from an ostomy. Digestion begins as usual.

Digestive Tract Overview

The digestive tract is a continuous pathway from mouth to anus that processes food and absorbs nutrients.

An ostomy bypasses part of the digestive tract, bringing waste out through a stoma into an external pouch.