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Diabetes

FODMAP diet and diabetes

07/06/2009

Question:

A friend with digestion problems recently sent me an article on the FODMAP diet. I was wondering if this is useful/relevent to diabetes. I had a hard time following all the science, but it seemed to say that in some food containing fructose, that not all the fructose is absorbed. Could that have implications for T1 diabetes control too? the article was here

www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/digestive-health/nutrition/BarrettArticle.pdf

Answer:

Thank you for drawing this article to my attention:  just about anything that could alter fuel availability and absorption, or at least carbohydrate availability and absorption, could have some sort of effect on either blood sugar control or diabetes complication risk in people with diabetes.  The problems with absorption described in this article could potentially increase the risk of hypoglycemia or make certain fuel sources inappropriate to use for treating or preventing symptoms of hypoglycemia.  This article could indeed have broad implications for people who have an undiagnosed disorder of this sort.  I am not aware of the frequency of this problem in various sub-populations in the United States but it certainly merits consideration.  Thank you.

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Response by:

Robert M Cohen, MD Robert M Cohen, MD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati