Fructose Intolerance

What is Fructose Intolerance?
Dietary fructose intolerance or fructose malabsorption is a digestive disorder that occurs when the small intestines cannot absorb a normal amount of fructose in the diet. While the average person has a limit on the amount of fructose they can comfortably digest in one sitting, a patient with dietary fructose intolerance has a much lower threshold. Excess, undigested fructose can ferment, irritating the intestines, altering the balance of bacteria, and causing a variety of unpleasant symptoms.

Symptoms
If you have fructose intolerance, you may experience a number of symptoms within half an hour to 2 hours of consuming foods that contain fructose. Your symptoms may include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, excess gas, abdominal pain, and nausea.

Diagnosis
There is a breath test for fructose intolerance, called the fructose hydrogen breath test, which is performed at some laboratories. If you suspect fructose intolerance, avoiding fructose for 2 weeks and evaluatingsymptoms can sometimes strengthen the evidence for this.

Treatment
Dietary changes will help you manage your symptoms. Avoiding foods that contain sweeteners with fructose is the treatment for this.