Do you get IBS-like symptoms after eating fruit?
Fructose is once again under the spotlight, with the results of the latest study revealing that almost one third of sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) experience IBS-like symptoms when they eat fructose.
Fructose, which is increasingly being added to soft drinks, dairy products, and processed foods, has already been implicated in the development of obesity and cardiovascular disease, and now appears to be a risk factor for IBS and other functional gastrointestinal disorders.
“IBS has been estimated to affect at least 10% of the population in Europe and it causes distressing symptoms that disrupt normal life,” says London-based IBS expert Dr Charles Murray.
“We have known for some time that diet can affect the symptoms of IBS and this latest research suggests that fructose may be a culprit.”
What is fructose?
Fructose is a naturally-occurring simple sugar found in fruit, vegetables and honey. When used commercially, fructose is usually derived from sugar cane, sugar beets and maize. Most people appear to be able to tolerate fructose reasonably well, however, the sugar is now always completely absorbed from the digestive tract, and when this happens, it tends to ferment and produce gases such as hydrogen.
“People with IBS are particularly sensitive to alterations in the gut, and while a high intake of fructose can cause abdominal symptoms in anyone, people with IBS are especially prone to developing typical symptoms such as bloating, pain, diarrhoea and constipation,” explains Dr Murray.
This latest study, which has just been published in the UEG Journal by a group of researchers in France, enrolled 90 consecutive patients with IBS who were asked to adhere to a strict diet that excluded all foods likely to cause intestinal gas production.
Participants were then asked to drink a solution containing 25g of fructose, and the extent of fructose absorption was measured along with the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms. The researchers found that 20 of the 90 patients were unable to absorb the fructose and many of these experiences IBS symptoms soon after they drank the solution.
Surprisingly, out of the 70 people who did not appear to have intolerance to fructose, 18 also developed IBS symptoms.
“This study is important because, not only does it demonstrate how frequent fructose intolerance is amongst IBS sufferers, it also shows that symptoms can develop in individuals who are able to absorb all their dietary fructose,” says Dr Murray.
“This suggests to me that, firstly, several different mechanisms must be involved in development of fructose intolerance, and secondly, that a low fructose diet is definitely worth considering in IBS patients who report developing symptoms after eating fruit or drinking soft drinks containing high levels of fructose.”
Everyday foods which are high in fructose
Sauces sweet and sour, BBQ, and ketchup sauces, Italian vinaigrettes, and fruity ice cream toppings, all of which are packed with fructose
Vegetables asparagus, onion, tomato, peanuts and beans are also high in fructose
Processed Foods commercially prepared foods such as chocolate, pastries and baked goods contain very high levels of fructose
Dried Fruit apples, raisins and pineapple are all rich in concentrated fructose which increases the sugar levels in the fruit
Beverages processed soft drinks that contain a blend of sugars which are high in fructose