Fructose intolerance is not associated with malabsorption in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Background: Symptoms following fructose ingestion, or fructose intolerance, are common in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) and are generally attributed to intestinal malabsorption. The relationships between absorption, symptoms, and intestinal gas production following fructose ingestion were studied in patients with FGID.

Methods: Thirty FGID patients ingested a single dose of fructose 35 g or water in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study.