What is one reason for nutrient malabsorption in CKD and HIV/AIDS patients?

Nutrient malabsorption in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and HIV/AIDS can be significantly influenced by diarrhea. Diarrhea leads to the loss of not only water but also critical nutrients, electrolytes, and sometimes entire macronutrients that are essential for maintaining overall health. This increased gastrointestinal transit time means that nutrients may not stay in the intestines long enough to be adequately absorbed, resulting in deficiencies.

Both CKD and HIV/AIDS can cause alterations in gastrointestinal function, impacting absorption and contributing to malnutrition. In CKD, factors such as uremia can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, while in HIV/AIDS, the virus can directly affect the intestinal lining and disrupt normal function, exacerbating diarrhea.

In contrast, other options such as increased physical activity, reduced appetite, and increased hydration typically do not directly cause significant malabsorption. Increased physical activity might actually improve digestive function for some individuals, reduced appetite can contribute to inadequate intake, but does not directly interfere with absorption, and increased hydration, while potentially helpful in some cases, does not inherently lead to malabsorption in the same way that diarrhea does.