Fructose Intolerance
#322294 - 01/14/08 06:56 AM
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DML
Reged: 01/14/08
Posts: 5
Loc: Missouri, USA
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I'm new to this site and find many of the posts interesting and helpful. I'm thankful that there are so many people out there with IBS that share their situations and success stories.
I too was diagnosed with IBS several years ago. After having many tests to rule out other conditions, my doctor decided I had IBS and prepared to start me on medication. Since I try to avoid prescriptions unless absolutely necessary, I asked him what caused IBS and could diet affect it. That's when he told me about lactose and fructose intolerances. I asked to have these tests done before starting prescription medications.
My fructose intolerance test results were extremely high. Within minutes after drinking the syrupy liquid, I was burping. The NP who took the test said she never saw a reaction that quick! My lactose test was negative.
I was given information about the foods containing natural fructose and also about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I started reading labels and was amazed at how many processed foods contain HFCS (some major items being grocery store breads, regular soda, Gatorade, yogurts (except sugar free and nonfat plain), syrup (not pure maple), etc.). Since learning of my intolerance, I have eliminated these items and many, many more. Thankfully, I seem to be able to tolerate fruits in moderation. The difference after eliminating foods containing fructose made such a difference so quickly I was amazed. It eliminated the diarrhea and abdominal pain I previously suffered from!
Several years ago when I was diagnosed there wasn't much about fructose intolerance and IBS on the internet. Most information came from researchers at Iowa University. Since then I've tried to spread the word as much as possible about fructose intolerance, since most people with IBS seem to only be aware of the affects of lactose. Thankfully that seems to have changed. I was glad to see so many posts about it on this site!
How many of you are intolerant to fructose only (especially HFCS) and have found eliminating it has all but removed your IBS symptoms?
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It is nice to hear from another IBSer with fructose problems. Welcome to the board.
I am a fructose malabsorber too. I am very sensitive to excess fructose. After I eliminated foods with excess fructose I notice a remarkable change in my IBS symptoms. However, unlike you it did not all but eliminate my symptoms. I still have problems with fiber, fats/oils and other trigger foods.
You might find the articles that I posted in this message of some help to managing your fructose problems.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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I am sensitive to fructose too. If I eat too much fructose I end up with bad gas and a heartburn-like feeling. Sometimes it will give me D (especially if I drink regular, non-diet soda). Fortunately I can tolerate some (like applesauce in baked goods, and a very small amount of fruit).
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IBS-A since age 12, and fructose sensitive; with the exception of my pregnancy, have been following Heather's diet since Nov. 19, 2007.
Taking 12g of Acacia per day. Relatively stable since March 2008!
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Maybe I should clarify that it eliminated 97% of my symptoms. I occasionally notice some irritation if I've eaten something at a restaurant, or wasn't paying attention to an ingredient, etc. Chinese food will have have an affect also, so I avoid it. I assume it's something in the sauces.
Thanks for the responses and the links! 
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After reading all the links, I'm really fascinated about all the information! Thanks for alerting me that there is a difference between intolerance and malabsorbtion. When I was diagnosed I was just told I was intolerant. After reading all the material, I am definitely a fructose malabsorber.
I was very interested to learn about the research being done to the affects of glucose to counteract the malabsorbtion of fructose in the small intestine, basically turning fructose into common table sugar which then allows it to be absorbed through the small intestine. After some research on the internet I found a glucose product called GlucoBurst. I was wondering if you or anyone has tried this supplement to counteract the affect of eating fructose? (Not something you'd want to do on a regular basis, but to have around in case of accidentally eating something containing fructose!)
Also, it was interesting to read that fruits containing fructose that have an equal balance of glucose (like bananas) are absorbed by the small intestine because of the glucose and fructose combination.
What has been your experience with glucose? Thoughts?
Thanks!
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You got it! Many people have difficulty understanding the fact that it is the fructose 'in excess of glucose' that causes the problem. When fructose is the presence of glucose it is absorbed into by a different metabolic transport mechanism than fructose alone. However, there are some indications that this may only be true until the transport mechanism gets saturated with fructose molecules and then additional glucose may no longer be able to assist in the transport of the excess fructose.
The other thing that people miss is that long chains of fructose molecules - fructans - are never digested. They pass directly through the GI tract to the colon where the bacteria have the enzymes needed to break fructose-fructose bonds releasing the simple fructose sugar molecules. Fructose is fast food for these bacteria - they love it Fructans are high in bread and some vegetables like Jerusalem artichokes. These can cause the same problem as excess fructose to some people.
I have been experimenting with balancing excess fructose in jellies and sauces with some success. For example, whenever I use tomato paste which has a small excess of fructose compared to glucose I add about 1/2 tsp of glucose (corn sugar or dextrose available at most health food stores) per 1-2 tbs of tomato paste. And in strawberry jam I have been using sucrose plus glucose as the sweetner to offset any excess fructose.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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SYL:
What do you actually ask for at the health food store: corn sugar? dextrose? What form do they come in? Have you ever heard of GlucoBurst? I noticed it's available at Walgreens Pharmacy. This is the company website: http://www.glucoburst.com/default.aspx . There are other ingredients in it, so maybe it's just better to purchase just dextrose at the health food store.
Thanks for all your help. You really seem to be well read on the subject!
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Corn sugar and dextrose are common names for glucose. Most health food stores sell it under one of the common names. It is quite cheap. I believe I pay about $3.50/kg.
I had a look at the GlucoBurst products. There are too many other ingredients in for my liking. In particular the gel has a number of preservatives.
I read a lot of GI disorder research papers. I find that most GPs and GI doctors are not current about recent develops. I had to diagnosis my fructose problem myself because the breath test is not available here. After reading the research literature and doing some experiments on myself I found that I cannot tolerate even 1 gram of excess fructose.
Good luck
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Hi,
I've found your posts really interesting and useful. I'm a recently diagnosed IBS-C and suffer with really bad wind for quite a lot of the time. It does vary and sometimes it's a lot worse than others. I have previously thought that it seems to be worse after eating sugary things (e.g. fruit juices) and am wondering whether it's the fructose that's the problem.
The thing I find difficult to establish is whether the wind is caused by foods most recently eaten or foods eaten earlier and are already well through the system.
In your experience how quickly do wind/bloating (or any other symptoms you have) appear after eating fructose or fructans?
Thanks for your help
IBS-C + Wind (occasional IBS-D)
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Very interesting question!
If the amount of excess fructose I ingest is low or I have eaten too much fructans I usually notice the effect the next day. If the amount is high I notice the effect within hours.
However, I notice that if I go slightly beyond my fructose or fructan limit once or twice I might not notice anything. However, if I do the same thing for a few days in the a row I will begin to experience problems. The effect of eating beyound my limit for an extended period of time is cumulative. This has been reported in the research too
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Eating fructose affects me rather quickly. When I had my fructose test three years ago drank the fructose liquid, within 5-10 minutes I was starting to belch. Then as it traveled into the intestines, the 'wind' began.
Just FYI, before I was diagnosed, I was having dull pain and tenderness in various areas of my abdomen. I went through a series of lower and upper GI tests before my doctor tried the fructose/lactose tests.
I would definitely have the tests done. They are so easy and you know the results immediately. My hydrogen levels were extremely high after drinking the fructose liquid. My lactose tests were negative (thank goodness). It's all just a process of elimination. I still have to be careful and eating out can be a challenge.
Good luck!
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Hi,
I've been on a great diet for Fructose malabsorption. Can eat any fresh fruit that has as much glucose as fructose (bananas and oranges are pretty good) Cannot eat fruits with excess fructose- apples, pears, mangos, watermelon. I avoid onions, leeks, asparagus, green beans. I minimize wheat. I had diarrhoea every day for about 12 years before starting this diet. Now I don't.
I have a question about sorbitol though. I think I am sensitive to fruits that contain sorbitol. I really can't eat grapes. Does anyone know where I can find a list of fruits high in sorbitol?
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Yes
Glucose is good for me. If I eat something I shouldn't, I can eat jelly beans or something to reverse the problem I would otherwise experience. (Up to a point)
In fact, the reason I first found out about the glucose effect was that I had to drink an extremely strong glucose drink for a gestational diabetes test and it made my symptoms go away for about three days
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Figure 2 in this article and Table 1 in this article has some information on sorbitol, fructose and glucose in fruits.
If you read these articles you will also see that sorbitol exacerbates fructose malabsorption.
By the way some grapes have quite a bit more fructose than glucose. Some red grapes have as much as 10 grams of excess fructose per 100 grams.
Good Luck
--------------------
STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Thanks Syl,
Sorry to everyone for not reading all previous posts before posting. This is my first time and I'm trying to figure the system out. Sounds like we're all talking about the same diet.
Yes (can't remember who wrote it), I had to diagnose myself too. Even when I mentioned my observations about glucose to a GP she said she had no idea why it would cause the improvement in my symptoms
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Quote:
Some red grapes have as much as 10 grams of excess fructose per 100 grams.
Yick! That must explain why red grapes give me so much trouble, and green grapes not so much. Red grape JUICE is like turbolax to me... 
--------------------
IBS-A since age 12, and fructose sensitive; with the exception of my pregnancy, have been following Heather's diet since Nov. 19, 2007.
Taking 12g of Acacia per day. Relatively stable since March 2008!
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FYI - here are some values for the amount of free fructose per 100 grams and per serving in some varieties of grapes. As you can see most of them have as much free fructose as HFCS 
grapes, black muscateel 7.7 / 8.1
grapes, Ralli seedless 8.0 / 8.4
grapes, Thompson 8.1 / 8.5
grapes, red globe 7.6 / 7.9
grapes, red 10.0 / 10.5
This information comes from recently published paper from the Australian group that has been doing the most amount of research on the role of fructose in IBS. These researchers found that there wasn't enough good available data about the amount of fructose and fructans in fruits and veggies so they did the measurements themselves. If you are near a university library you might try to get a copy of the article given below.
Reference
Muir, J. G., S. J. Shepherd, O. Rosella, R. Rose, J. S. Barrett, and P. R. Gibson, 2007: Fructan and Free Fructose Content of Common Australian Vegetables and Fruit. J. Agric. Food Chem., 55, 6619-6627.
--------------------
STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Thanks Syl, have read them now. Very helpful
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Fascinating thread! Forgive me as I cannot do much research as I have hurt my back and my computer time is severely limited.
Having said that, I drink at least six glasses of concentrated cherry juice per day (cannot drink straight water as it irritates my tummy) and I am wondering if this could be contributing to my constipation, gas and bloating. I believe tart cherries contain sorbitol (as do sweet cherries) from the graphs I have seen but I am not sure if tart cherries contain more fructose than glucose.
Can anyone comment as to whether the concentrated cherry juice could be contributing to my symptoms?
My hunch is yes but I would love some input.
Thanks!
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Generally speaking stone fruits such as cherries contain more glucose than fructose.
--------------------
STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Tart cherry juice sounds pretty acidic, which can also cause symptoms. Just one glass of something that acidic would give me GI symptoms, not to mention 6!!
Why can't you drink water? I drink it at room temp, and I do better.
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IBS-C
Edited by Fen (07/02/08 04:00 AM)
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Thank you. I notice the sorbitol content in cherries is rather high and I always avoid sorbitol in foods where the ingredients are clearly displayed so I am left wondering if I am reacting to this.
Before finding this thread, I had no idea cherries contained sorbitol.
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I had not thought of tart cherry juice as being acidic, I guess because it worked for me for so long, allowing me to increase my fluid intake. Makes sense though.
When I drink water, even at room temperature, I react with a sensation of indigestion and some bloating. This has always been a mystery to me but even before I developed IBS four years ago, I was never one to drink water as it bothered me, in the form of indigestion.
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