What is fructose?
Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar that can often be found in the presence of glucose. When fructose is present in the same amounts as glucose it is readily absorbed by our body, however, when there is excess fructose, this is when problems can occur.
How is fructose digested?
The digestion of fructose occurs via sugar transporters in the small intestine. The ability to absorb fructose varies considerably between individuals, this is why it is important to test your unique response. Unabsorbed fructose may draw water into the small intestine. Our body does this to rebalance the environment and reduce the high concentration of fructose.
What are the common symptoms associated with poor digestion of fructose?
In some people, the excess water may result in bloating and diarrhea, but it can also force the undigested food into the colon, where it becomes food for your gut bacteria. However, this produces gases that can lead to many distressing symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea.
In those with sensitive guts, even small doses of fructose can result in osmotic diarrhea,
bloating, and increased flatulence. This is why it is important to identify your unique tolerance, as this can vary considerably from person to person.
Can I test this myself?
If you suspect that you may have an issue absorbing fructose, the FoodMarble AIRE 2 can help! The FoodMarble Program and FODMAP Test Kit can help you find out how your body digests a single food in real-time in a non-invasive manner. With the FODMAP testing kit, you can test your tolerance to fructose, sorbitol, lactose, and inulin to consume for the test. The FoodMarble app takes you through the whole test which lasts approximately three hours.
If you have completed a fructose breath test and experienced symptoms, we recommend you repeat the test (when you have no symptoms) using a smaller dose. Finding your tolerance level is key to maintaining a balanced and healthy diet and don’t forget that with the FoodMarble Program you will have access to your unique digestive profile chart which will show you your tolerance after each test.
