Many individuals suffer in silence from sucrose intolerance. The condition goes by many names including sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, congenital sucrose intolerance, disaccharide intolerance I, and SI deficiency.
Sufferers lack an enzyme in the body called sucrase. Sucrase plays an important role in the digestion of certain sugars, specifically sucrose and maltose. Sucrose is a sugar found in fruits and table sugars. Maltose is the sugar found in grains. In a normal person, sucrase triggers the metabolism of dietary sucrose in the small intestine while also playing a vital part in the digestion of starch. For an individual living with sucrose intolerance, this basic function is challenging for the body to perform.
Most cases of sucrose intolerance are discovered at a very young age, when the child begins to wean from their milk-only diet. As they begin to consume fruits, juices, and grains, the symptoms surface. The introduction of sucrose and maltose in their diet cause an onset of uncomfortable symptoms impossible to ignore. Symptoms of sucrose intolerance include stomach cramps, bloating, excess gas production, and diarrhea. Symptoms can persist for a few hours or can last for months depending on the amount of sucrose initially ingested. The total amount of sucrose ingested, the ability of the small intestine to handle the load of incoming sugar, and the colon’s ability to absorb water can affect the severity of the symptoms.
What Causes Sucrose Intolerance?
Researchers have found that the deficiency can be linked to an inherited condition. They conclude that mutations in the SI gene are to blame. Normally, the SI gene provides the body with instructions for producing the enzyme sucrase-isomaltase. For sucrose- intolerant patients, mutations in the SI gene make this function impossible.
There is currently no cure for sucrose intolerance and misdiagnoses are common. Sucrose intolerance is often mistaken for colitis, irritable bowel syndrome,toddler’s diarrhea, influenza, and food allergies.
Despite there being no definitive cure, two treatments have proven helpful for sufferers. One way to alleviate suffering is to limit starch ingestion and to also remove sucrose permanently from the diet. The other option is a pharmacological enzyme replacement therapy available by prescription.