With good dietary management, individuals with carbohydrate intolerance can lead normal lives.
Carbohydrate intolerance can be primary or secondary.
Carbohydrate intolerance can be diagnosed using oral tolerance tests.
Lactose is a simple carbohydrate and typically is the reason for milk intolerance in people. Lactose is a simple sugar/carbohydrate.
Since the cause of the enzyme deficiency leading to carbohydrate intolerance is unknown, there is no way to prevent this condition.
The most common is lactose intolerance.
Carbohydrate intolerance is the inability of the body to completely process the nutrient carbohydrate into a source of energy for the body, usually because of the deficiency of an enzyme needed for digestion.
Carbohydrate intolerance caused by temporary intestinal diseases disappears when the condition is successfully treated.
Because of the uneven distribution of enzyme deficiency based on race and ethnic heritage, especially in lactose intolerance, genetics are believed to play a role in the cause of primary carbohydrate intolerance.
Because the degree of lactose intolerance varies so much, treatment should be tailored for the individual.
In cancer patients, treatment with radiation therapy or chemotherapy may affect the cells in the intestine that normally secrete lactase, leading to intolerance.
When one or more is inadequate, the result is carbohydrate intolerance.
The carbohydrate being investigated is given by mouth in liquid form and several blood levels are measured and compared to normal values. This helps evaluate the individual's ability to digest the sugar.