What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects your mucus and sweat glands. In most cases, mucus in the body is thin and watery. It prevents the lining of certain organs from drying out and becoming ceceptable to harmful infections. People with Cystic Fibrosis have mucus that is thick and sticky, which builds up over time and blocks airways to the lungs. That blockage makes it very easy for bacteria to build up in that area and can lead to serious lung infections. That thick, sticky mucus also affects other vital organs such as the pancreas. Clogging of your pancreas ducts results in a restriction on digestive enzymes from reaching your small intestine, where they are most effective. Without those enzymes, your intestines become unable to absorb proteins and fats completely. As a result of these restrictions, nutrients leave your body unused which can lead to you being malnourished. Intestines become unable to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K as well and you might experience intestnal gas, bloating and pain. This abnormal gene also causes your perspiration to become extremely salty. This results in an extreme loss of sodium when your perspirate. That loss of sodium can lead to an unbalence in minerals in your blood and makes you more ceceptable to a heat emergency. Cystic Fibrosis can also lead to infertility, mostly in men.