Diagnosis
Generally, a doctor will diagnose steatorrhea by observing your symptoms, studying your medical history, and recommending a fecal fat test to evaluate the fat content of stool. In some cases, doctors use a 24-hour test, fecal fat is best evaluated when collected for 72 hours.
To prepare for a fecal fat test, you must take 100 grams (g) of fat daily for 3 days before the test, and fast for 5 hours directly before the test. Samples of your stool will be taken using a collection kit and guidelines, then the sample will be taken to your clinic or doctor’s office.
If you’re healthy, you will excrete 7g or less per day of fat in your stool after consuming 100 g of fat daily. Steatorrhea is generally described as excreting more than 7 g of fat in a 24-hour period when consuming 100 g of fat daily. If steatorrhea is diagnosed, a doctor may need to do further tests to determine the underlying cause.