Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 31, 2025
A CO2 Concentration Gradient Facility for Testing CO2 Enrichment and Soil Effects on Grassland Ecosystem Function
Published on: November 21, 2015
[Christmas article: CO2 footprint of lactulose in Scandinavia]
Mette Reilev1, Lars Christian Lund, Jesper Hallas
1mreilev@health.sdu.dk.
Introduction:
Lactulose is a popular osmotic laxative, and it is metabolised in the large intestine by Escherichia coli resulting in CO2 production.
Methods:
Our aim was to calculate the potential CO2 footprint of lactulose in the Scandinavian countries in 2010-2017, to see if a reduction of the use of lactulose would influence the global CO2 emission.
Results:
We found a value of up to 6,729 tons of CO2, corresponding to 67 million kilometers of air travel or 1,665 flights around the globe.
Conclusion:
Such CO2 emission is non-trivial and adds to other arguments against the use of lactulose.
Funding:
none.
Trial Registration:
not relevant.
