Diarrhoea sucrose

An increase in osmotic pressure due to retention of unabsorbed carbohydrate in the distal small intestine and proximal colon may explain the acarbose-induced diarrhoea that results from sucrose combined with acarbose (Hayakawa et al., 1989). In cases of hypoglycaemia, glucose has to be preferred over saccharose. 

Genetic lack of sucrase—isomaltase is very common among the Inuit of North America. On their traditional diet this caused no problems, as they had no significant sources of sucrose or isomaltose. With the adoption of a more Western diet, sucrose-induced diarrhoea has become a significant cause of undernutrition among infants and children. 

In a series of 18 patients with heavy diarrhoea (IS having cholera), treated with sucrose-electrolyte peroral solution, 3 were unable to absorb sufficient amounts of sugar. Such diminished absorption results in worsening of the diarrhoea due to the osmotic effect of the unabsorbed sucrose As glucose given orally is almost entirely absorbed, the administration of sucrose as a substitute to glucose is not warranted (32 ). 

Nalin, R. (1975) Sucrose in oral therapy for cholera and related diarrhoeas. Lancet, 1, 1400. 

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