In paediatric practice proper digestion of carbohydrates is of major importance for adequate growth and development and for prevention of intestinal complaints. Several carbohydrates can be considered in this respect: (a) lactose: the main carbohydrate in the nutrition of early life and also in later life for many white people; (b) starch: the main energy supplier in our food; (c) fructose: a c...

BACKGROUND Lactase is an enzyme involved in the hydrolysis of lactose. Deficiency of the enzyme (hypolactasia) may be determined genetically or arise secondarily to disease of small intestine. Under this condition, lactose enters the colon where it is fermented by intestinal microflora and turns to gases and short-chain fatty acids, causing gastrointestinal symptoms known as lactose intolerance...

BACKGROUND The lactase persistent (LP) or lactase non-persistent (LNP) state in European adults is genetically determined by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located 13.9 kb upstream of the lactase (LCT) gene, known as LCT C>T(-13910) (rs4988235). The LNP condition leads to an inability to digest the milk sugar lactose leading to gastrointestinal symptoms and can affect nutrient and calci...