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Related Experiment Videos

Delayed complete functional lactase sufficiency in breast-fed infants.

C H Lifschitz, E O Smith, C Garza

    Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
    |January 1, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary

    Many breastfed infants show incomplete lactose absorption, leading to colonic fermentation. Breath hydrogen (BH2) levels decrease with age, indicating improved digestion over time.

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    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Gastroenterology
    • Infant Nutrition
    • Lactose Metabolism

    Background:

    • Assessing lactose absorption in exclusively breast-fed infants is crucial for understanding infant digestion.
    • Colonic fermentation of unabsorbed lactose can lead to gas production and digestive discomfort.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate colonic fermentation of unabsorbed lactose in normal, exclusively breast-fed infants.
    • To determine the relationship between age and breath hydrogen (BH2) levels as an indicator of lactose absorption.

    Main Methods:

    • Seventeen healthy, exclusively breast-fed infants (4-5 weeks old) were studied.
    • Breath hydrogen (BH2) levels were measured using gas chromatography after regular feedings.
    • Stool analysis (glucose, pH) and weight-for-age percentiles were also assessed.

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    Main Results:

    • Twenty-nine percent of infants produced elevated BH2 levels (≥20 ppm), indicating unabsorbed lactose.
    • Elevated BH2 levels decreased with age, suggesting improved lactose absorption over time.
    • Infants with elevated BH2 had normal stool glucose and pH, with adequate weight-for-age.

    Conclusions:

    • Complete small bowel lactose absorption is not universal in early infancy, even in healthy breast-fed infants.
    • Unabsorbed lactose is fermented in the colon, producing hydrogen gas.
    • BH2 levels normalize with age, indicating developing lactose digestion capacity.