What Are Common Dietary Fermentable Carbohydrates?

Discussion Parents may often come to the pediatrician for concerns about crying and colic, increased belching, abdominal distention, increased flatulence, abdominal pain or stool changes. They complain of increased “gassiness,” which could mean any or a combination of these problems, or something different that they believe is referred to the abdomen. In newborns parents’ intolerance for crying and normal changes in the abdomen (e.g. appearing larger or smaller) may have them complain of “gassiness” but they do not mean actual belching or flatulence. In older children, parents may state that the child has abdominal pain and again is “gassy,” and may or may not mean increased belching or flatulence. Of course other common problems such as constipation or infectious diarrhea need to be considered and teased out when parents bring their children for these complaints. Gases within the intestinal tract are normal. They are a combination of swallowed air and fermentation processes within the tract. Fermentation is usually thought of as sugar digestion but fat and protein can also produce gases. Through these processes a variety of substrates are created and can be used by the body. Gases include hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and the rotten egg smell to flatulence is due to hydrogen sulfide. Learning Point Dietary carbohydrates can be a culprit in “gassiness” and other abdominal complaints. Malabsorbed carbo...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news