Diets in Disaccharidase Deficiency and Defective Monosaccharide Absorption

Abstract

Sugar malabsorption may be caused by disturbed transmucosal transport of the actively absorbed monosaccharides, glucose and galactose (congenital glucose-galactose malabsorption) or by deficiency of one or more disaccharide-splitting enzymes. The primary (congenital) forms of disaccharide malabsorption consist mainly of lactose malabsorption and combined sucrose-isomaltose malabsorption. Secondary (acquired) forms, usually caused by loss of lactase, may start in childhood or in adult life. The symptoms are, in early life, diarrhea and thereafter, more unspecific digestive troubles, such as dietary intolerance to certain food items. Treatment consists chiefly of elimination of the malabsorbed sugar(s) from the diet and in some cases also of limitation of the starch intake. In practically all cases, the symptoms can be thus controlled by diet therapy.