Dr. Akram Ismail-Gastroenterology Specialist

It’s no secret that a gastroenterologist is who you need to see for digestive problems or to have a colonoscopy. However, the exact scope of care provided by a gastroenterologist is often misunderstood. Beyond the gastrointestinal tract, these specialists also care for other organs that are involved in the process of digestion, including the gallbladder, pancreas, and liver. Location and Function of the Liver The liver is located on the right side of the abdomen, above the gallbladder. It is divided into two separate lobes. As part of its role in digestive health, the liver is responsible for filtering blood and processing nutrients from the digestive tract, as well as secreting bile to aid in the digestion of fat. Additionally, it is responsible for detoxifying chemicals which could be potentially harmful to the body and metabolizing drugs. Diseases that Affect the Liver Given the vital role it plays in healthy body function, disease of the liver can be serious and requires proper med...

What are digestive enzymes and how do they support health and wellness? Digestive enzymes are proteins that are primarily produced in the small intestine and pancreas, as well as in saliva, that help break down the foods we eat into nutrients that can be absorbed and used by the body. Overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine (SIBO), Celiac Disease, and Pancreatic Insufficiency are all medical conditions that can lead to a lack of digestive enzymes the body needs to break down food, causing significant GI symptoms. People with these medical conditions often benefit from digestive enzyme supplements. In addition, people who are lactose intolerant and or who consume primarily plant based diets may also benefit from digestive enzymes to avoid gastrointestinal symptoms. Digestive Enzymes and Neuro-Developmental Disorders Kids with neuro-developmental disorders often experience higher instances of digestion issues related to food intolerance, sensitivities, and/or allergies and may bene...

The gall bladder is a small sack attached to the liver. It’s function is to store the bill which is excreted by the liver. It then provides this bile to the intestine when it’s needed to digest ingested fat. Diseased gall bladder occur in two forms. Either it becomes lazy and inflamed. Or develops stones that can cause problems. Gall bladder disease is common among middle age females. Symptoms of gall bladder disease include: Abdominal discomfort when eating fatty meal or pain at the right upper part of the abdomen. Other systems are usually related to the presence of stones. When one of the stones gets outside the sack to the ducts that lead to the bowels. When a stone gets stuck in the ducts, it could block the pancreatic and/or the bile dusts. Blocking of the bile ducts can cause jaundice which is yellowish discoloration of the skin and the eyes. Blocking of the pancreatic duct can cause pancreatitis which can lead to severe pain in the upper part of the abdomen that radiate to the ...

C olon cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths in developed countries. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from colon cancer. It is a preventable disease. Rare cases of colon cancer are caused by inherited disease but in the majority of people, it starts as benign tumor that grows in the colon as we get older. As time goes by, these benign tumors turn malignant and eventually spread and cause death. The benign tumors of the colon are called polyps. Colon polyps cause no symptoms. That is why there is no early warning signs for colon cancer. As the benign tumors turn malignant they start causing signs. The most common early sign of colon cancer is bleeding. Most of the time the bleeding is very little that can’t be seen or noticed except by specific tests. That slow gut bleeding eventually cause anemia and low iron level in the blood. Therefore the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in elderly men and non menstruating elderly women is colon cancer. Some of the ...