What about lactose/sucrose? (was: RE: Re: question for those who have been on SCD for a long time

[Guest guest]

Yeah. Lactose and sucrose- both are disaccharides (comprised of two

monosaccharides each). The idea being your body has enzymes that break these

down, permitting them to be absorbed high in the gut- probably not more than a

few feet into the small intestine.

Of course, we know for certain some people have lactose deficiency- either from

birth, or later in life. This means the individual has diminished enzymatic

capacity to break down the disaccharide lactose. Net upshot: the sugar goes

further into the gut, and feeds undesirable bacteria. No mystery there.

But what about sucrose? Invertase (and other enzymes) are supposed to work on

sucrose. Is it possible people lose their ability over time to break down

sucrose? I don't know.

More importantly, starch shouldn't be a problem in the intestines, where

klebsiella can get to it. So- why is it, when the pancreas is chock full of

these enzymes, that starch still manages to wend its way through the digestive

system where it can feed klebsiella?

I don't know. I've discussed this with people who know way more than me, and

it's split- some think it's nonsense, others think there could be something to

it, but probably not. I dunno, but I have problems understanding why starch can

make it that far into the intestines unless there's a deficiency in the enzymes

that break it down.

So- the obvious solution is to stop eating carbs. I was convinced carbs were

GOOD for you until I finished Lutz's " Life Without Bread, " and " Good Calories,

Bad Calories " by Taubes put the matter to rest for me. Keep carbs to a minimum,

and the problems may resolve on their own. MAY resolve on their own- everyone is

different- but Lutz put his success rate at over 90% at 3 years out (!),

although it took much longer for people with colitis.

-AJ

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> Thanks much for this, AJ. I have Crohn's (have had since the early 1980s)

> and I find it all fascinating. And interesting. The more I can learn about

> Crohn's the better. I've read Lutz's Life Without Bread, which I've also

> found very helpful, and which keeps me from being anal retentive about SCD,

> though I'm not generally the anal retentive type anyway; at least I haven't

> been in the past, having Crohn's and all (sorry!).

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> Personally, I would very much like to hear more about the lactose/sucrose

> (disaccharide) part of the story that you by-passed, especially since

> lactose has been a real problem for me, and for many here.

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> I've been on the diet three months and have improved a lot, but still have

> an ongoing but generally mild ache in my right side (the site of the disease

> and my past surgeries, two of them). My blood work is normal, except for

> somewhat low protein levels. But obviously my disease is still active in

> some way.

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> Please keep posting here.

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