Fructose in Food
Unfortunately no, there is no known cure.
However, there are ways to manage fructose intolerance so that you can be symptom-free and live a wonderful quality of life. We will have a look at some of them in the next section.
Welcome to another one of our FAQ’s. This time we are delving into Fructose intolerance and all of the ins and outs of this disruptive condition.
We will be discussing what fructose is, how fructose intolerance works, what the main symptoms are, the causative factors, the risk factors for developing it, whether there is a hereditary component, how you can get a diagnosis, how you can best manage your fructose intolerance and answering some other curiosities about the condition.
Please read on to learn all about fructose intolerance with us.
Essential fructose is a single unit sugar that is mostly found in fruits, but also in some vegetables, grains and honey.
The body can easily absorb fructose due to its single unit structure, which means enzymes are not needed to break it down further. However, the human body only has a limited capacity for fructose absorption, with the range
Fructose intolerance is a condition where ingested fructose can’t be absorbed in the small intestine which is where it usually gets absorbed. This can be due to a lack of the transporting molecule, so fructose can’t get to where it needs to go. Therefore it continues along the digestive tract and causes a very large amount of fermentation in the colon. Large amounts of gas, bloating, gut pains and loose stools then occur.
Lactose intolerance and gastro-oesophageal reflux disorder (GORD) are also very commonly found alongside fructose malabsorption. If you have had a diagnosis of GORD it’s a good idea to have some food intolerance testing done to rule out any possible food causes.
Our hair test is non-invasive and will give you an excellent indication of which foods may be causing issues for you. You can find out more about it HERE:
Fructose intolerance can develop for several reasons. Sometimes it occurs as a side effect of something else, such as in IBS sufferers. In this case the IBS damages the digestive tract, and so many food intolerances can develop as a result of this. The same situation can happen with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
People can also have a lack of fructose carrying molecules in their intestinal wall, which means that fructose can’t be directed to where it needs to go. The result of this is a build-up of fructose in the large intestine (LI), with a huge amount of fermentation occurring when it reaches the bacteria in the LI and colon. This is when we see all of the characteristic bloating, wind, pains and diarrhea.
Further factors that can be instrumental in developing fructose intolerance include having a diet filled with highly processed and high sugar foods. Giving the body over and above the amount of sugar it can naturally handle causes many different disease states, with fructose intolerance amongst them.
High-stress levels can be causative, as this degrades the digestive tract and causes elevated inflammation.
Fatty liver can also play a part in developing fructose intolerance. This is because the liver is the main processor of fructose in the body, and if it is not working properly then any additional fructose won’t be handled well.
Similar to the last question, the risk factors include already existing digestive disorders.
IBS is a big one, with 70% of IBS sufferers also having fructose intolerance.
Chron’s disease, SIBO, Colitis etc also predispose you to develop fructose intolerance, due to the disturbance in your digestive tract. When the underlying condition is treated, the fructose intolerance often disappears as well.
Candida and other systemic fungal infections can also predispose you to develop fructose intolerance, but likewise, once they are treated your intolerance may also correct itself.
Most food intolerances can run in families, but it doesn’t always happen. More often than not with fructose intolerance, it is caused by other digestive disorders or poor gut health.
‘Hereditary Fructose Intolerance’ is a very serious and separate condition from fructose intolerance. This is genetic, and people with this condition have none of the enzymes the body needs to break down fructose. It can lead to very serious health complicationsand needs to be managed with a strict fructose-free diet.
A diagnosis of fructose intolerance is usually done via a Hydrogen Breath test, just the same as lactose intolerance testing. In this case, though a fructose solution is ingested, and the amount of hydrogen produced and expelled on the breath is measured. If the result is high then a diagnosis of fructose intolerance is confirmed.
Our hair intolerance test will also give you a fructose intolerance result in a much less invasive way. You can find out more info HERE.
Unfortunately no, there is no known cure.
However, there are ways to manage fructose intolerance so that you can be symptom-free and live a wonderful quality of life. We will have a look at some of them in the next section.
Dietary intervention is the best way to manage fructose intolerance, and in fact, the symptoms can be removed through this method alone. Supporting nutritional efforts with gut-healing protocols can add to the benefits and healing as well.
The first step is to learn about FODMAPS, which stand for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are the fancy scientific names given to different sugars based on their structures.
Following a low FODMAP diet has positive effects and is the first-line treatment option for the fructose intolerant. However, despite its success at removing symptoms, it should only be followed strictly for a short time, up to 6 weeks. After this time its important to reintroduce some low fructose foods back into the diet, and find your tolerance level of each food. This needs to be done with a qualified nutritionist or FODMAP trained dietitian, which removes the overwhelm and helps give you a clear path to follow.
Further to this, it’s important to seek advice from a holistic health practitioner to determine the underlying cause of your fructose intolerance. If it is a digestive issue such as SIBO, IBS etc, then treating this condition with the guidance of your chosen practitioner will help reduce and potentially remove your fructose intolerance symptoms as well.
Other tools such as acupuncture, specific strains of probiotics and enzymes have helped to manage the condition, but these need to be used under the guidance of your holistic practitioner.
These lists are not exhaustive, but they do provide an excellent starting point. It’s imperative to keep in mind that fructose intolerance is highly individual, and your tolerance level to particular foods will be different from your friend who also has fructose intolerance. Trial and error and finding your tolerance levels is very important on this journey.
It can contribute to developing Type 2 diabetes. A diet with high amounts of fructose has scientifically been linked to metabolic conditions including Type 2 diabetes, Syndrome X, Obesity and other disease states.
As far as foods go, the worst offender concerning diabetes is by far high fructose corn syrup. It is found predominantly in junk food and soft drinks, who’s consumption has no positive effects on health and wellbeing and is known to contribute to metabolic disease states.
Most things consumed in excess will contribute to ill health, and as fructose is a type of sugar then yes it will contribute to weight gain if overeaten. The same is true of any carbohydrate that is eaten to excess.
Consuming a high fructose load also contributes to fatty liver, which is a disease state that interrupts the function of your liver as it becomes infiltrated with fatty deposits. Eating large amounts of processed or sugary foods and also wheat products is the biggest factor in developing fatty liver.
HCF is a liquid sweetener derived from corn. It is cheap to make and is heavily used in the processed foods industry. Soft drinks and sugary snack manufacturers are the biggest users of HCF. It contains glucose and fructose just as table sugar does.
It is bad for the body because it is pure sugar without any of the vitamins and minerals that come with sugar found in its natural form. It has a very high amount of fructose, so it has highly damaging effects on blood sugar. It’s implicated in insulin resistance, the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic diseases and diabetes. As previously mentioned it is also known to cause fatty liver, severely impacting the function of the liver.
Compared to fifty years ago we are consuming up to 1000 times more fructose today, and it’s believed that this is mainly due to high fructose corn syrup consumption. Our bodies cannot tolerate such a high sugar and fructose load, and the development of fructose intolerance is an effect of this.
This website and our hair analysis does not make a medical diagnosis nor any medical claims. The information on this site is intended to provide nutritional advice for dietary optimisation. There is no guarantee of the specific results experienced by our reviewers and by our testimonials results can vary. IntoleranceLab do not claim to treat or cure symptoms and any reports generated by the testing need to be discussed with a medical practitioner. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at own risk
Intolerance Lab, Jarrow Business
Centre Viking Industrial Park,
Jarrow, NE32 3DT
Info@intolerancelab.co.uk
+44-345-528-0467