| Abstract: |
This article, from a patient education newsletter, reviews the interplay of carbohydrate intolerance and celiac disease, which is characterized by gluten intolerance. The author notes that the most common carbohydrate intolerance in celiac disease is lactose, but more and more celiacs are being diagnosed with fructose intolerance. The author describes the chemical structure of these carbohydrates and how they are absorbed, where they are typically found in the diet, the symptoms of secondary lactose intolerance in patients whose intestines have been damaged by gluten ingestion, children with transient lactose intolerance, symptoms of lactose malabsorption, the use of oral lactase to improve lactose absorption, the differences between hereditary and acquired fructose intolerance, the sources of fructose including high fructose corn syrup, the difficulties in determining fructose and sucrose content in foods and beverages, and problems with sugar substitutes, also called artificial sweeteners. Readers are encouraged to consider other sources of their symptoms if they continue to experience gastrointestinal difficulties after 2 to 12 months on a gluten-free diet. Two sidebars list examples of hidden lactose sources and examples of dietary sources of fructose and sucrose. 5 tables. 7 references. |