Many people have complained of getting gas while chewing sugarless gum, and a new study has uncovered the cause and found a solution.
Researchers from the University of California-Davis (UCD) discovered that a single ingredient used in the product, which occurs naturally in certain fruits, is responsible for the terrible swelling: sorbitol.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is slowly absorbed by the body and causes cramps and diarrhea when consumed in high quantities – and some people experience symptoms with small doses.
The team also discovered that a drug used to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis could be used as a remedy for people suffering from sorbitol intolerance.
Researchers linked sorbitol in sugar-free foods such as gum, mints, candy and some fruits to increased gas, diarrhea, bloating and other stomach problems
Researchers found by feeding mice antibiotics and food high in saturated fat that the amount of oxygen used by cells in the intestines reduced the amount of clostridia that break down sorbitol. They believe that the drug mesalazine, used to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, could be the key to eliminating the embarrassing side effects of sorbitol intolerance.
Sorbitol is used in many chewing gums, mints and candies, and also occurs naturally in fruits such as apricots, apples, pears and avocados.
According to research, approximately 35 to 70 percent of adults experience gas and bloating after ingesting more than 10 grams of sorbitol. Diagnosis of food intolerancea gastroenterology group based in Switzerland.
The problem also appears that up to 70 percent of people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are also sensitive to even small amounts of sorbitol.
The researchers used mice to analyze which intestinal bacteria contained the necessary genes to break down sorbitol.
The tests showed that feeding mice antibiotics and food high in saturated fat reduced the amount of oxygen the cells lining the intestines used.
An increased amount of oxygen stored in the intestines reduces the amount of clostridia intestinal microbes in the body – a bacteria that breaks down sorbitol.
The team found that this causes a sorbitol intolerance, which only manifests when the person consumes foods such as sugar-free gum and experiences the telltale signs of bloating and gas.
Researchers wanted to know how to restore the intestines’ ability to break down sorbitol to eliminate the unpleasant side effects of intolerance.
More clinical tests are needed to determine if mesalazine can be used to treat humans, because mice can tolerate much higher levels of sorbitol than humans.
They started the experiment by feeding the mice an intestinal bacteria called anaerostipes caccae acts as a probiotic and produces butyrate.
Butyrate is a fatty acid produced when eating fiber-rich foods, such as whole grains (oatmeal and brown rice), legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas), fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
The oily, colorless fluid also causes the cells lining the intestines to use more oxygen, returning the clostridia to normal levels.
The researchers found that taking these steps protected the mice from sorbitol-induced diarrhea, even after the butyrate-produced bacteria had left the mouse’s digestive system.
“This discovery is crucial given the widespread use of sorbitol and similar sugar alcohols in the production of keto-friendly, high-fat diet foods,” said Jee-Yon Lee, lead author of the study and assistant project scientist at UC. Davis Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology.
Lee added: ‘It also highlights the importance of oxygen consumption by the epithelial lining in the intestines in maintaining a healthy balance of gut bacteria, especially Clostridia, for proper digestion of certain sugars.’
The researchers suggested that the drug mesalazine, which is used to treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases, and reduce redness and swelling in the intestines, could help people who pass gas caused by sorbitol.
Although the experiments were successful, the researchers said mice can tolerate much higher levels of sorbitol than humans, making more clinical testing essential to determine whether mesalazine can be used to treat humans.
“Our study provides a completely new starting point for approaches to diagnosing, preventing and treating sorbitol intolerance,” said Andreas Bäumler, senior author of the study and professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis .