IBS Tied to Fat and Fructose

[Guest guest]

It is probably not only the fructose but the fructose they add to so many foods.

Fructose belongs in fruit not everything else we eat. The food manufacturers

use sugar as a preservative and they use fructose a lot because it is cheaper

than sucrose.

I read labels and it the food contains added fructose I don't buy it.

Ora

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docid=515488

Irritable Bowel Tied to Fat and Fructose

By Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDayNews) -- Two new studies suggest fat and fructose, a

sugar found in many fruits and honey, play key roles in causing gastrointestinal

disorders.

Both studies were presented Oct. 13 at the American College of Gastroenterology

annual meeting in Baltimore.

In the first report, Kraft, a clinical dietitian from the University of

Iowa, and her colleagues say patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who

are fructose-intolerant can achieve a significant improvement in symptoms by

following a diet that restricts fructose intake.

Kraft says fructose intolerance is an often overlooked component of IBS.

Her colleague, Dr. Young Choi, adds in a statement that " a fructose-restricted

diet significantly improved symptoms in patients with IBS and fructose

intolerance. Fructose intolerance is yet another piece of the IBS puzzle, whose

treatment when adhered to confers significant benefit. "

In the study, the researchers looked at 80 patients with suspected IBS. Of these

they found 30 were fructose-intolerant. Kraft's team taught these patients how

to eliminate fructose from their diet. After one year, 26 patients were

interviewed to assess their symptoms.

Among the 14 patients who stuck to the diet, there was a significant reduction

in symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. In addition, there

was a decline in IBS in this group.

However, bowel symptoms remained the same for the 12 patients who did not stick

with the diet, the researchers report.

Kraft believes these results are encouraging, since " people who limit their

intake of fructose see their symptoms improve or disappear, " but that further

study is needed.

In the second study, researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., led

by Dr. Yuri Saito, collected data on the diets of 221 adults, aged 20 to 50. Of

these patients, 102 had gastrointestinal disorders and 119 were healthy.

The research team found patients with IBS or dyspepsia reported eating more

monounsaturated fats compared to healthy patients. These patients also ate fewer

carbohydrates than their healthy counterparts.

The Mayo investigators conclude that " future studies are needed to determine

whether fat intake causes gastrointestinal symptoms. "

Dr. Theodore M. Bayless, a professor of medicine at s Hopkins University,

finds both reports of value. He is not surprised fat and fructose are linked

with IBS and dyspepsia.

He notes that both fat and fructose are hard to digest and can aggravate both

conditions. Bayless, however, does not believe that restricting fructose cures

IBS; it only relieves the symptoms.

Bayless says " anyone who is gassy with or without IBS will benefit by decreasing

the intake of fructose. "

He advises his patients to avoid fatty foods and foods that contain high levels

of fructose such as grapes, dates, nuts, honey and apple or pear juice.

He also advises patients to increase fiber intake to make their bowels perform

regularly.

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