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Related Concept Videos

Glucose Transporters01:27

Glucose Transporters

Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Carbohydrate Absorption01:25

Carbohydrate Absorption

Carbohydrates are essential macronutrients that serve as the body's primary energy source. Their digestion begins in the mouth, where salivary amylase partially breaks down complex carbohydrates such as starch into smaller oligosaccharides. This mechanical and enzymatic activity prepares carbohydrates for further processing in the gastrointestinal tract.
After being swallowed, the partially digested carbohydrates mix with gastric secretions in the stomach. However, the acidic environment...
Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine01:26

Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine

Complex carbohydrates consumed cannot be absorbed into the small intestine in their original form. First, they must be hydrolyzed to a monosaccharide form such as glucose or galactose. These monosaccharides are then transported across the intestinal membrane and into the blood via transcellular transport. The intestinal epithelial cells allow the movement of these monosaccharides with a defined 'entry' through membrane transporter proteins present on their apical membrane and 'exit' via the...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors01:19

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism01:19

Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
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Carbohydrate Metabolism01:36

Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrates are polymers composed of molecules containing atoms of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. One gram of carbohydrate can provide four kilo-calories of energy, which makes it the most efficient instant energy source.
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Using Multi-fluorinated Bile Acids and In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Bile Acid Transport
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Published on: November 27, 2016

Fructose-sorbitol malabsorption.

Fernando Fernández-Bañares1, Maria Esteve, Josep M Viver

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain. ffbanares@mutuaterrassa.es

Current Gastroenterology Reports
|September 22, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Incompletely absorbed dietary sugars like fructose and sorbitol, along with fructans, may trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. Further research is needed to confirm the role of sugar malabsorption in functional bowel disease.

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Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Human Nutrition
  • Dietary Science

Background:

  • Incomplete absorption of dietary carbohydrates like fructose and sorbitol is common.
  • Symptoms of malabsorption, including abdominal discomfort and diarrhea, mimic functional bowel disease.
  • Fructans, polymerized fructose forms, are increasingly recognized for their role in symptom production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of malabsorbed sugars and fructans as dietary triggers for symptoms resembling irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  • To synthesize evidence from existing challenge studies regarding the link between dietary triggers and functional bowel disease symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of uncontrolled and controlled challenge studies.
  • Analysis of evidence implicating specific dietary carbohydrates (fructose, sorbitol, lactose) and fructans.
  • Comparison of symptoms associated with malabsorption to those of functional bowel disease.

Main Results:

  • Malabsorbed sugars (fructose, sorbitol, lactose) and fructans are suggested as potential dietary triggers for IBS-like symptoms.
  • Evidence indicates a connection between these carbohydrates and the onset of clinical symptoms.
  • Symptoms arising from malabsorption are often indistinguishable from functional bowel disease.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary sugar malabsorption and fructans may play a significant role in triggering symptoms suggestive of IBS.
  • Further placebo-controlled studies are essential to definitively establish the role of dietary sugar malabsorption in functional bowel disease.
  • Understanding these triggers can inform dietary management strategies for patients with functional bowel disorders.