tests of carbohydrate absorption
Last reviewed 01/2018
The following investigations test the ability of the small bowel to absorb carbohydrates:
- xylose absorption test:
- directly tests the ability to absorb monosaccharides
- glucose tolerance test:
- typically flat in impaired small bowel function
- poor specificity and not widely used
- disaccharidase test:
- glucose in the disaccharide is absorbed more slowly than when ingested as a monosaccharide
- disaccharide breath tests:
- most commonly lactose is given
- direct disaccharidase activity tests:
- enzyme activity may be assessed directly from biopsy samples of mucosa