If your digestive system is not working properly, it leads to the food not being digested properly which causes the food you eat to linger and remain in your stomach longer than it should.
When the food is not digested properly or fast enough and remains in your stomach too long it can lead to the food fermenting or even passing through your gastrointestinal tract unabsorbed.
As a result of the food fermenting and passing through your gastrointestinal tract unabsorbed it leads to immediate physical discomfort and can even cause serious long term health complications if the underlying cause is not treated and fixed.
The immediate symptoms and complications from your digestive system not working properly include.
Changes in your poop, like diarrhea, constipation or even visible undigested food in your poop.
Acid Reflux due to lingering food causing stomach distention, which pushes acid into your esophagus and causes GERD or heartburn.
Early satiety, which is when you feel completely full after only eating a few bites of food.
Nausea and vomiting, where you vomit undigested food frequently hours after a meal.
And abdominal distress, which includes severe bloating, gas upper abdominal pain and cramping.
The long term complications of your digestive system not working properly include.
Blood sugar fluctuations, in which delayed or erratic digestion disrupts the release of glucose in your bloodstream, which is also highly dangerous for people that have diabetes.
Bezoar formation, where undigested food can harden into a solid mass in your stomach, which is called a bezoar, which might require medical intervention if it blocks your small intestine.
Dehydration, which results from frequent vomiting and cause rapid fluid and electrolyte loss.
Malnutrition and weight loss, which is when the body fails to absorb essential vitamins and nutrients like iron and B12, from your small intestine, which leads to weakness, fatigue and unintended weight loss.
Common underlying causes of your digestive system not working properly include.
Food intolerances like lactose intolerance, where your body lacks the specific enzyme needed to break down certain sugars.
Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, like celiac diseases, Crohn's disease or even ulcerative colitis.
Pancreatic Insufficiency, where your pancreas fails to produce the enzymes needed to break down food properly.
SIBO also known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine that interferes with fat and nutrient absorption.
And gastroparesis, which is a disorder where your stomach muscles don't contract normally, causing food to sit in your stomach for too long.