High intestinal hydrogen production in runners after intake of fructose solution

Context: fructose intake is associated with increased consumption of processed foods, specifically in the context of nutritional supplements.

Objectives: To assess gastrointestinal symptoms and hydrogen production after the ingestion of a fructose solution in runners, healthy and sick persons.

Methods: Hydrogen test (H2 test) was performed after the intake a solution with 50 g fructose along with the application of a questionnaire to evaluate the gastrointestinal symptoms during the H2 test in three groups: Athletes group (AG); control group (CG) with healthy subjects; and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group (NAFLDG). Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a p < 0.05 significance level.

Results: The AG was the largest H2 producer followed by the CG with significant difference between the AG and NAFLDG (p ≤ 0.05). Most participants remained asymptomatic, but the strongest correlation was the symptom of bloating GC (R = 0.625), eructation in NAFLD (R = 0.481) and diarrhea in CG (R=0,345) and AG (R =0,338) Conclusion: The result of the present study suggests the production of hydrogen by the colon following the administration of fructose is higher in athletes compared with healthy individuals and persons with NAFLD, showing that fructose intake may be an interesting point of dietary management, especially in elite professionals.

Keywords: breath hydrogen test; fructose; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; runners.