The key difference between fructose intolerance and malabsorption is that fructose intolerance is a condition that occurs when cells on the surface of the intestines are not able to break down fructose very efficiently while fructose malabsorption is a condition that occurs due to impaired absorption of fructose by the cells of intestine.
Fructose is a natural sugar found in fruits, some vegetables, and honey. The transport and metabolism of fructose occur in only a few tissues in the body, such as the liver, intestine, kidney, adipose tissue, and muscle, which can metabolize it. Certain individuals cannot consume foods containing fructose due to defects in fructose metabolism. Therefore, fructose intolerance and malabsorption are two conditions resulting from defects in fructose metabolism.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Fructose Intolerance
3. What is Fructose Malabsorption
4. Similarities – Fructose Intolerance and Malabsorption
5. Fructose Intolerance vs. Malabsorption in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Fructose Intolerance and Malabsorption
7. Summary – Fructose Intolerance vs. Malabsorption
What is Fructose Intolerance?
People with fructose intolerance cannot digest fructose in the normal way. Fructose intolerance can be caused by genetics, lifestyle factors, or lack or malfunction of liver enzymes (aldolase B). Moreover, the symptoms, of this condition may include jaundice, stunted growth, vomiting, bloating, a decrease in phosphate and glucose in the blood, an increase in fructose in the urine and blood, nausea, abdominal pain, and dislike of fruit or sweet things. The serious complications of this condition are gout, liver failure, bleeding, low blood sugar and death.
Fructose intolerance can be diagnosed through blood sugar tests, urinalysis, genetic testing, liver biopsy, and enzyme tests. Furthermore, treatment options for fructose intolerance may include limiting the intake of fructose, taking liver enzymes externally, and taking glucose tablets.
What is Fructose Malabsorption?
Fructose malabsorption is a condition in which the small intestine is unable to effectively absorb fructose. It can be due to various factors such as an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, high intake of refined and processed foods, pre-existing gut issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammation, and stress. Moreover, the symptoms of this condition may include nausea, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, chronic fatigue, and malabsorption of certain nutrients such as iron. The complications of fructose malabsorption are hypoglycemia, seizures, high gas production, and discomfort.
Fructose malabsorption can be diagnosed through physical examination and hydrogen breath test. Furthermore, fructose malabsorption can be treated by eliminating food that contains high levels of fructose.
What are the Similarities Between Fructose Intolerance and Malabsorption?
- Fructose intolerance and malabsorption are two conditions due to defects in fructose metabolism.
- Both are associated conditions.
- Both conditions can have similar symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, gas, etc.
- They cause complications.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation.
- They can be treated by eliminating fructose-containing food from the diet.
What is the Difference Between Fructose Intolerance and Malabsorption?
Fructose intolerance is a condition that occurs when cells on the surface of the intestines are not able to break down fructose very efficiently, while fructose malabsorption is a condition that occurs due to impaired absorption of fructose by the cells of the intestine. This is the key difference between fructose intolerance and malabsorption. Furthermore, complications of fructose intolerance are gut, liver failure, bleeding, low blood sugar, and death. On the other hand, complications of fructose malabsorption are hypoglycemia, seizures, high gas production, and discomfort.
The infographic below presents the differences between fructose intolerance and malabsorption in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Fructose Intolerance and Malabsorption
What are the two types of fructose intolerance?
Two types of fructose intolerance are dietary and hereditary fructose intolerance.
How do you fix fructose malabsorption?
A reduced fructose diet is one way of fixing fructose intolerance. Moreover, antibiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes like xylose isomerase, and a modified diet are other treatment options.
What are the worst foods for fructose intolerance?
High-fructose foods, such as juices, apples, grapes, watermelon, asparagus, peas, and zucchini.
Summary – Fructose Intolerance vs. Malabsorption
Fructose is a monosaccharide present in fruits and some veggies. Fructose intolerance and malabsorption are two conditions due to defects in fructose metabolism. Fructose intolerance is a condition that occurs when cells on the surface of the intestines are not able to break down fructose very efficiently, while fructose malabsorption is a condition that occurs due to impaired absorption of fructose by the cells of the intestine. This is the key difference between fructose intolerance and malabsorption.
Reference:
1. Katherine Zeratsky, R.D. “Fructose Intolerance: Which Foods to Avoid?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. Benardout, Miles, et al. “Fructose Malabsorption: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment: British Journal of Nutrition.” Cambridge Core, Cambridge University Press.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Digestive-system-for-kids” By Leysi24 – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia