Clinical significance of fermentation and lactose malabsorption

Fermentation, the bacterial process of gaining energy from the breakdown of carbohydrates, takes place in the human large intestine as well as that of the animals. This process is important for the health of the colon. Due to changing dietary habits, the available substrates for fermentation in the human colon are scarce, and this fact may contribute to the increased number of colonic diseases in the Western world. Lactose in lactose-maldigesters increase the amounts of fermentable substrate, and may contribute to the health of the colon in these individuals. The symptoms of lactose maldigestion may be reduced by adaptation. Keywords: Bacterial flora, colon, fermentation, lactose, prebiotic