Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C1291077 (bloating)
 1,674 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Sorbitol is a commonly used sugar substitute in "sugar-free" food products. Although sorbitol intolerance manifested by abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea has been observed in children, it has not been well documented in adults. Forty-two healthy adults (23 whites, 19 nonwhites) participated in this study. After ingestion of 10 g of sorbitol solution, end expiratory breath samples were collected at 15-min intervals for 4 h and analyzed for H2 concentration. Clinical sorbitol intolerance was detected in 43% of the whites and 55% of the nonwhites, the difference not being statistically significant. However, severe clinical sorbitol intolerance was significantly more prevalent in nonwhites (32%) as compared to whites (4%). There was a good correlation between the severity of symptoms and the amount of hydrogen exhaled. Dietetic foods, many of them containing sorbitol, are very popular with diabetics and "weight watchers." Based on our observations, we believe that a large number of adults could be suffering from sorbitol-induced nonspecific abdominal symptoms and diarrhea. These symptoms could lead to an extensive diagnostic work-up and lifelong diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.
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PMID:Sorbitol intolerance in adults. 403 46

Sorbitol, a polyalcohol sugar, is the sweetener in most "sugar-free" products and may produce an osmotic diarrhea if ingested in large amounts (20-50 g). Whether or not smaller amounts of ingested sorbitol may be associated with other symptoms characteristic of carbohydrate malabsorption has not been determined. Using breath hydrogen analysis, the absorption of 5, 10, and 20 g of sorbitol was studied in 7 healthy volunteers. In a majority of subjects, ingestion of as little as 5 g sorbitol was associated with a significant increase in breath hydrogen concentration. Most subjects experienced mild gastrointestinal distress (gas, bloating) after 10 g and severe symptoms (cramps, diarrhea) after 20 g. These data suggest that the evaluation of patients with "functional" gastrointestinal complaints should include careful inquiry into the use of products containing sorbitol.
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PMID:Sorbitol intolerance: an unappreciated cause of functional gastrointestinal complaints. 684 53

Gum-chewing has been suggested as a method to stimulate bowel motility and shorten postoperative ileus after colorectal surgery. Patients chewing gum pass flatus, and have bowel movement, earlier than those having ordinary postoperative treatment, and have a lower incidence of postoperative complications. The mechanisms suggested in order to explain this phenomena are all centered in the action of chewing, that may act on cephalic-vagal stimulation of digestion, producing hormones associated with bowel motility, or as sham feeding, stimulating the motility of the duodenum, stomach, and rectum, or by stimulation of secretion of saliva, and pancreatic juices. Interestingly, no suggestions are made about the possible effects of the ingredients of these gums. Sorbitol and other hexitols are key ingredients in most 'sugar-free' chewing gums and candies. Ingestion of relatively small amounts of sorbitol causes gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, and abdominal cramps in a dose dependent manner. Therefore, the hypothesis suggested herein is that the content of maxitols in 'sugar-free' chewing gums may play a role in the amelioration of ileus after surgery, and should be added to the list of probable mechanisms involved in the observed phenomena.
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PMID:Hypothesis: hexitols in chewing gum may play a role in reducing postoperative ileus. 1878 95