http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-halloween-hangover-fructose-and-your-digestive-system.html
The Halloween Hangover: Fructose and Your Digestive System
Here is an article on fructose that I am going to forward to a number of friends who have digestive problems that they can’t seem to get rid of. From The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That is Making You Fat and Sick, by Richard J. Johnson, MD, the book is a fascinating read. Here is the excerpt on the Halloween Hangover. See if it sounds familiar:
Call it the Halloween Hangover: Filling up on sweets often leads to an upset stomach. This is because many people have difficulty digesting the fructose in sugar, HFCS, and other sweeteners. But it’s not only candy-munching trick-or-treaters who are affected by this problem, known as fructose malabsorption (or sometimes dietary fructose intolerance.) If you have been experiencing unexplained digestive problems, fructose could be the cause.
As fructose travels through the digestive system, it eventually enters the small intestine. From there, it normally is absorbed into the bloodstream. But some people absorb fructose less efficiently than others so. In these cases, fructose enters into the large intestine, where it is broken down by bacteria, producing large amounts of hydrogen gas. Fructose can also suck water into the colon.
Fructose malabsorption causes a variety of gastronintestinal problems, including abdominal pain, bloating, cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation. Bacteria can convert fructose to compounds called ketoacids; in rare cases, this could cause the blood to become dangerously acidic, a condition that can lead to rapid breathing, confusion, and other symptoms. In one small 2005 study published in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers asked 15 volunteers to drink water laced with 25 grams of fructose, which is similar to the amount found in a 12-ounce can of non-diet soda. Breath tests that measure hydrogen determined that more than half of the subjects had evidence of fructose malabsorption. Six of the volunteers developed gas or rumbling sounds in their stomachs, and one experienced abdominal pain. When the dose was increased by 50 grams of fructose, breath tests showed that 11 of the 15 volunteers had reached the threshold for fructose malabsorption.
Recent research suggests that fructose may be one cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects up to one in five Americans. Previously, the foods and beverages most commonly linked to IBS were wheat and other grains, chocolate, and dairy products, as well as alcohol. Now studies suggest that many people who complain of IBS symptoms have fructose malabsorption. In a University of Iowa study, for example, more than one-third of people with IBS-like symptoms had dietary fructose intolerance.
If you struggle with gastrointestinal problems, adopting a low-fructose diet may help. A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that 74 percent of IBS patients who cut back on their fructose consumption experienced a significant drop in gastrointestinal symptoms.
Go to the Source
related stories
-
(13 comments)
-
-
(56 comments)
Robyn
Melissa
Deepak
Eric
Dave
Dr. Brent
Ronnie
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Andrew
Jana
Annie B.
Veronica
9 comments
add your comment »thanks...
Kabin
Konteyner
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I feel obligated to report the following study that reveals that nearly half of all commercially available High Fructose Corn Syrup contains mercury, which is not good:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html
Kind of tips the scale in favor of boring old sugar.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
fruit is a complex carb -- high fructose corn syrup is incomparable to fruit; Fructose syrups are artificially made; fruits contain sucrose - sucrose alone is called table sugar - when consumed by fruit, though, it is not the same effect on blood glucose levels. So keep on enjoying your fruit :)!! just resist on the fake sugar
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Does fructose intolerance mean cutting out fruit?
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I eat a mostly organic diet but I too am alarmed about the amount of high-fructose corn syrup that is hidden in traditional foods. When I read the labels at the traditional grocery store you get the impression it's in everything. I've even started making my own catsup because the traditional brands are loaded with the suff.
I'm sorry to hear about those of you with ailments that prevent you from eating processed sugars but in a sense it can be a blessing when you consider what a large majority of the population consumes, it's actually quite sad for them.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I am bit confused. I thought most candy had Sucrose rather than Fructose. Did you mean Sucrose? Or a both a problem (which would mean no fruit or fruit products)? Thanks!
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
My experience with IBS has tauaght me the following: Stress, lack of proper sleep, and eating foods low in fiber bring on attacks. Consider that many foods containing HFCS are also low in fiber. The answer is eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and for extra fiber, a tablespoon or so of ground flaxseed daily.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I have had this problem for most of my life .. I have had 2 operations on my tummy to try and correct it .. but they did nothing to stop it from happening everytime I ate something with sugar/ fructose .. I must not eat anything with white sugar or fructose in it or on it. The pain is unbearable...before I realized what was going on..this problem put me in the hosital a number of times. It took years before I knew what was making me so very sick. In my case anything over 15 grams of sugar is way too much. I must make an effort everyday to check labels before I eat anything.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I am extremely concerned about the amunt of high fructose syrup in foods. I have a true food allergy to all corn products and high fructose syrup and modified food starch are in almost everything,causing me life-threatening issues. My life depends on me avoiding corn products in every aspect of my life..
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Facebook account: