Unrecognized Fructose Intolerance Often Underlies Unexplained GI Symptoms

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Unrecognized Fructose Intolerance Often Underlies Unexplained GI Symptoms

Many patients with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms have fructose

intolerance.

http://www.medscape.com/44074.rhtml?srcmp=FM-102601

Unexplained bloating, flatus, and distension are common GI

complaints. While much attention has been paid to lactose intolerance as a

potential cause, fructose intolerance has received relatively little

attention....[Researchers] administered a fructose breath test to 219

patients with unexplained GI symptoms. The patients were also given a

symptom questionnaire and assessed for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Nearly 80% of patients had a positive breath test. Furthermore, the

fructose given during the test reproduced the GI symptoms of 58% of

patients. Based on questionnaire results, 130 of 159 patients met ROME I

criteria for IBS. "