When fruits attack – fructose intolerance
We’ve all been brought up with the idea that fruit is good for us, and for many of us, that is absolutely true. However, some of us may suffer from fructose malabsorption or fructose intolerance.
Fructose is the form of sugar present in fruit. Fructose malabsorption results in increased amounts of fructose in the intestines. As symptoms of fructose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome are similar, people are often misdiagnosed with IBS.
Fructose intolerance can be tested for at our specialist laboratory using a hydrogen breath test and treatment simply involves reducing your intake of fruit and other fructose-containing products. You can try eliminating fruit (while ensuring you are eating plenty of other nutritious foods) to see if this has an effect on your symptoms.
Symptoms include:
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Reflux
- Stomach pain as a result of muscle spasms
- Vomiting
- Mild depression
- Nausea