Clinical ramifications of malabsorption of fructose and other short-chain carbohydrates

ructose is a hexose that is present widely in thediet as free fructose, in the disaccharide, sucrose,and in fructans, which are chains of fructose witha terminal glucose. Fructans are also known as inulins(when the number of fructose molecules, or degree ofpolymerization or DP, is ≥10), or fructo-oligosaccha-ride (FOS) or oligofructose (when the DP is <10).Fructose has created much interest because of its pos-sible role in contributing to the obesity epidemic in theUSA (1) and for its postulated role in inducing func-tional gut symptoms.Symptoms such as bloating, abdominal distension,discomfort, pain, and altered bowel habits are often