Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Fructose malabsorption is extremely common. Fructose intolerance is an inherited disease and is quite rare.

When the fructose load is high enough everyone has difficulty digesting it. This has been confirmed using hydrogen and methane breath tests. However, unlike individuals who cannot absorb fructose properly normal individuals don't exhibit the extreme bloating, pain, etc that IBS suffers do.

A 2003 study of 183 patients with unexplained GI symptoms found that 134 (73%) exhibit an inability to absorp fructose after drinking a solution of 100 ml of water containing 50 grams of fructose. 119 (75%) patients of the 134 patients that exhibited a positive breath test for fructose malabsorption also experience the symptoms that lead them to have a GI evaluation.

For details see Choi, Y. K., F. C. Johlin, R. W. Summers, M. Jackson, and S. S. C. Rao, 2003: Fructose Intolerance: An Under-Recognized Problem. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 98, 1348-1353.

Fructose malabsorption is real. It is beginning to look like it is one of the most common IBS triggers. Some people with these triggers cannot tolerate any foods that have excess fructose (i.e more fructose than glucose such as honey, apples, pears, melons and some vegetables). Others can tolerate some of these foods in moderate amounts.

For a detailed review see Skoog, S. M. and A. E. Bharucha, 2004: Dietary Fructose and Gastrointestinal Symptoms: A Review. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 99, 2046-2050.

http://www.bashaar.org.il/files/101022005111814.pdf

Informative web sites are
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructose_malabsorption
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch282/ch282b.html
http://allergyadvisor.com/Educational/sept2002.htm
http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartments/foodandnutrition/dfi/index.html

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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS

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Edited by Syl (07/15/06 03:39 PM)

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