Many infants have digestive problems, and breast milk or formula is not fully absorbed. It is very important to undergo a timely examination and determine the cause of abdominal pain, lumpy, green or mucus-filled stools. Often the pediatrician issues a referral for analysis of biomaterial for carbohydrates. What does such a study show, and in what cases is it prescribed?

The test is prescribed for problems with the absorption of breast milk or formula

Why is a biomaterial tested for carbohydrates?

As a rule, a stool test for carbohydrates (or the Benedict test) is designed to identify signs of lactase deficiency in a child of the first year of life. This condition means that the baby’s gastrointestinal tract cannot fully absorb breast milk, the main carbohydrate of which is lactose (milk sugar). This substance is a disaccharide, which is normally broken down in the small intestine into monosaccharides that are convenient for further absorption.

To break down lactose in the baby’s body, a special enzyme is produced - lactase. With its deficiency, milk sugar is not broken down, but settles in the intestinal lumen. This is fraught with fluid retention, diarrhea, gas formation and the occurrence of colic in the abdomen. Enzyme deficiency is especially critical in infancy, since the baby's main form of nutrition is milk.

Lactase deficiency can be congenital or acquired. Primary occurs in a child due to intrauterine development disorders, and secondary occurs due to dysbacteriosis, previous diseases (rotavirus), giardiasis, enteritis or allergies.

If this pathology is detected, the baby is prescribed enzymes or transferred to a special lactose-free diet.

Preparing a baby for examination and rules for collecting stool

No special preparation of the child for the analysis is required. It is important that the stool collected for analysis is in a sterile container with a tight-fitting lid. For this purpose, it is best to use a plastic jar with a spoon, in which it is convenient to collect liquid stool fragments - such a container can be purchased at a pharmacy (more details in the article:). When collecting analysis, the following nuances should be taken into account:

1. The biomaterial must be delivered to the laboratory no later than 4 hours after the act of defecation.
2. It is advisable to collect feces from an oilcloth, and not from a disposable diaper or diaper, since this study requires the liquid component of the sample. If the baby uses a potty, the bowl should first be washed and scalded with boiling water.
3. Before collecting stool, the child should receive nutrition according to the usual regimen, then the result will be as accurate as possible. If you overfeed the baby, the test may be false positive; if you underfeed it or give it a low-carbohydrate formula, the test may be false negative.

Before taking tests, there should be no changes in the baby’s diet

• In newborns and infants at 2-3 months, the values ​​may exceed the norm, since at this age the secretion of enzymes and digestion are at the stage of formation.
• If the analysis results show that the percentage of carbohydrates in feces is up to 0.6, there is no need to worry. Experts believe that these figures can be considered the norm.
• If the value is from 0.7 to 1.0%, treatment is not prescribed if the child does not have tummy problems. Such children are taken under control and are recommended to undergo repeated testing. If the result remains within the same range, the pediatrician may prescribe enzymes, for example Lactase Baby.
• More than 1% carbohydrates in feces indicates a high probability that the baby has lactase deficiency (more details in the article:). An indirect confirmation of the diagnosis will be increased acidity of the stool if the pH value is lower than 5.5.

Sometimes, for diagnostic purposes, doctors direct the patient to take a stool test for carbohydrates. Most often, this laboratory research method helps diagnose lactase deficiency - poor absorption of milk in young children. But this analysis can also be prescribed to adults.

Stool testing for carbohydrates in children is usually carried out when lactose is malabsorbed or the child is intolerant to foods containing milk sugar. This analysis is very important for a child of the first year of life, because the basis of his nutrition at this age is milk. If a child's body cannot process lactose (milk sugar), this poses a serious threat to the successful development of a young child.

The main indications for such a study are gas formation in the intestines (flatulence), severe pain in the tummy of a newborn baby, excessive regurgitation due to increased intra-abdominal pressure. All these are symptoms of lactase deficiency, which is divided into primary and secondary.

In the presence of primary lactase deficiency in a small child, there is a lack of lactase in the digestive organs. This is an enzyme that is secreted in the pancreas and takes part in the hydrolysis of the disaccharide lactose. The cause of secondary lactase deficiency is usually insufficient maturity of the pancreas or intestines. This deviation is predominantly common among children in the first year of life.

To determine accurate indicators when examining stool for carbohydrates, the volume of the starting material must exceed a teaspoon. The feces must be collected in a sealed container and delivered to a special laboratory no later than 4 hours after collection. The normal level of carbohydrate content in the feces of a child under one year of age is 0 – 0.25%. Minor deviations from the norm are considered to be 0.3 - 0.5%. Average: 0.6 – 1%. If the carbohydrate content exceeds 1%, then this is a cause for concern.

When examining small children under 3 months of age, it is almost impossible to identify a normal level of carbohydrate in the feces. At this age, the microbial biofilm is just forming and the formation of enzymatic processes in the baby’s intestines. Therefore, if the carbohydrate content is high in children of this age, you should not be alarmed and stop breastfeeding.

In most cases, the cause of unfavorable stool analysis for carbohydrates in children is dysbiosis or immaturity of enzymatic systems. In these cases, the pediatrician carries out therapeutic measures and corrects microbiological disorders in the child’s intestines.

Laboratory testing of stool for carbohydrates can also be prescribed for adults. Typically, with chronic pancreatitis, there is a lack of pancreatic enzymes. Under such circumstances, heavy carbohydrates are not broken down and absorbed. Moving further through the intestines, they undergo fermentation and are then excreted in the feces. This condition is medically called amilorrhea.

Also, impaired absorption of incoming carbohydrates is often associated with ineffective parietal digestion caused by damage to the intestinal mucosa. Therefore, stool testing for carbohydrates should be prescribed to adults with food intolerance, severe diarrhea with a strong odor, and noticeable loss of body weight.

The laboratory technician examines the external characteristics of the material and the presence of signs of fermentation. The indicators of intracellular and extracellular starch are studied, which, with normal absorption and breakdown of carbohydrates, should have an indicator with a (-) sign.

When the intracellular starch level is (+), the breakdown of the intestinal bacterial flora occurs. The extracellular starch indicator (+) characterizes a violation of the enzymatic function of the intestine or pancreas. The number of pluses in both indicators indicates the level of starch grains detected.

Timely examination of stool for carbohydrates is not only a diagnostic method and a sure path to recovery. This is an important prevention of diseases of the digestive system. Be healthy!

Synonyms: carbohydrate content in feces, reducing substances in feces; Stool sugars; Reducing substances, fecal.

Carbohydrates are one of the most important food components and the main suppliers of energy for the body. In products they are contained in the form of complex saccharides, which, after breakdown, are absorbed in the small intestine. If the process of assimilation of carbohydrates is disrupted - malabsorption, provoked by congenital or acquired enzymatic deficiency, as well as certain diseases of the small intestine, a deterioration in the general state of human health is observed.

Carbohydrate deficiency is considered a fairly common pathological condition today. In addition, experts suggest that carbohydrate deficiency may be the cause of diseases that do not have a clear etiological picture (migraine, depression, etc.).

Analysis of stool for carbohydrate content makes it possible to timely diagnose such disorders and prescribe effective therapy to relieve the patient of unpleasant symptoms.

General information

Impaired absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine - malabsorption - is a sign of enzymatic deficiency, which can be either hereditary or acquired.

The most common type of malabsorption is lactase deficiency - lactose intolerance, i.e. the body's inability to break down and absorb milk sugar. Congenital lactase deficiency manifests itself already in the first months of a child’s life and is characterized by a sharp delay in weight gain. In adulthood, the acquired form is most often diagnosed. Less commonly observed is a malabsorption of sorbitol alcohol, fructose, trehalose, and sucrase-isomaltase.

Regardless of the type of enzymatic deficiency, the accumulation of large amounts of undigested carbohydrates in the intestines manifests itself in the same way:

• spasmodic pain (colic) in the abdomen, provoked by impaired intestinal motility;
• increased gas formation due to increased fermentation of bacterial microflora;
• diarrhea, the cause of which is the retention of a large amount of fluid in the lumen of the intestinal tube (osmotic effect);
• signs of body intoxication:
  • headaches and dizziness;
  • general weakness and lethargy;
  • nausea and vomiting;
• body weight deficiency;
• sleep disorders, etc.

Malabsorption may also be temporary. Often this condition develops after an intestinal infection or an acute inflammatory process, serious operations on the gastrointestinal tract, etc. An ill-designed diet can also affect the speed and extent of carbohydrate absorption. For example, increased sorbitol content in familiar foods can impair the absorption of fructose.

Indications for analysis

The analysis is interpreted by a gastroenterologist, therapist, pediatrician or general practitioner.

• Chronic diarrhea and digestive disorders in adults;
• Headaches, apathy and weakness, lack of body weight,
• Stomach disorders without established causes;
• Previously identified malabsorption in adults;
• Diagnosis of congenital lactase deficiency in infants under one year of age;
• Lack of required weight gain in newborns.

Norm of carbohydrates in feces

Note: In children of the first year of life, the following deviations from the norm may be observed:

• 0.3 - 0.5% (insignificant);
• 0.6 - 1% (average);
• more than 1% (significant).

Factors influencing the result:

• Violation of the rules for preparing for analysis;
• Errors when collecting biomaterial;
• Features of the daily diet;
• Patient's age;
• Genetic factors and family history;
• Intestinal infection or inflammation;
• Taking prebiotics, antibiotics and other drugs.

Carbohydrates in feces are increased

• Enzyme (lactase) deficiency;
• Chronic diseases of the small intestine:
  • Crohn's disease (granulomatous inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract);
  • celiac disease (impaired breakdown of gluten), etc.;
• Secondary malabsorption (acquired form) - after intestinal infections, surgical interventions on the gastrointestinal tract, etc.;
• Acquired deficiency of the sucrase-isomaltase complex is manifested by severe dyspepsia (indigestion) in response to the consumption of starch, cereals, beer and other products containing malt.

Preparing for analysis

To obtain reliable research results, the following preparation rules must be observed:

• 3 days before the analysis, exclude the use of rectal suppositories and cleansing enemas;
• One week before the procedure, stop taking medications:
  • affecting the character of stool (antidiarrheals, laxatives);
  • increasing peristalsis (pilocarpine, belladonna);
  • containing coloring pigments (barium, bismuth, iron, etc.);
• Dietary requirements (the day before the examination):
  • exclude colored (red and green) vegetables/fruits, juices from them, ketchup and tomato paste, alcohol from the diet;
  • do not reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed so as not to get a false negative result.

A mandatory condition is not to undergo diagnostic tests with contrast (X-ray, CT, MRI, etc.) 2-3 days before the analysis.

Rules for collecting biomaterial

Empty your bladder.

Carry out hygienic washing of the external genitalia and anal area with boiled water and soap without fragrances and dyes.

After the act of natural defecation, feces are collected with a special spatula into a clean, dry container with a lid, which can be purchased at any honey store. institution.

• The required amount of biomaterial for research is at least 1 teaspoon. Samples are taken from the middle part of the feces, and only liquefied stool is collected;
• It is not recommended to collect feces directly from the toilet, as water may get into the feces, which will lead to incorrect results;

Important! In children, it is extremely undesirable to take an analysis from the surface of the diaper, because The liquid part of the feces, which is needed for research, is absorbed by the absorbent located inside the diaper.

After collecting the material, the container must be tightly closed with a lid, indicate your data on it: full name, age and date of collection of the material, and deliver it to the laboratory within the next 4 hours.

Other stool tests

In infancy, there are often digestive problems, to determine the causes of which children are prescribed various tests. One of them is the determination of carbohydrates in the feces of infants.

What is this?

This study is designed to identify sugars in the child’s stool that have the ability to reduce copper. These carbohydrates are lactose, maltose and galactose, as well as glucose and fructose. In the feces of a child, lactose and its breakdown products (galactose, glucose) are mainly detected.

The analysis allows you to determine whether the baby’s processes of breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates are impaired. The study is also called the Benedict method.

Indications

The main indication for prescribing such a stool test is the suspicion of the development of lactase deficiency in an infant. The study is indicated for flatulence, abdominal pain, frequent regurgitation, diarrhea, poor weight gain and other symptoms of impaired absorption of lactose.

Preparation

Feeding the child before the test should be normal to avoid getting a false negative result. A minimum of one teaspoon of stool should be provided to the laboratory within 4 hours of collection. It is collected after natural emptying into a clean container, the lid of which is tightly closed.

The best option would be a sterile plastic cup, which is sold at the pharmacy. This cup has a spoon, which is very convenient, since children with loose stools are usually sent for examination.

You cannot collect feces from a diaper or a cloth diaper, since it is the liquid part of the feces that is needed for the study. It is best to place the infant on a clean oilcloth, and then collect a little feces with a spoon into a container for analysis. Feces can also be collected from a pot, but before doing this, the pot should be washed well with soap and doused with boiling water.

Where can I get tested?

The research is carried out in both public and private laboratories. Usually the result is given in 2 days.

Norm values ​​and interpretation

All results above 0.25% are a deviation from the norm, while the deviation is considered insignificant for a result of 0.3-0.5% and average for a result of 0.6% to 1%. If the carbohydrate content in feces is more than 1%, such a deviation is called significant.

Reasons for deviations

An increase in the amount of carbohydrates in feces is characteristic of lactase deficiency, as well as disorders of the absorption of other sugars.

The test may be false positive if the child took ascorbic acid, salicylates, antibiotics and some other medications. The test may also give a false negative result if the child was given a low-lactose formula before the test.

If there is a low or moderate deviation of the test result from the norm, the child should be monitored and, over time, another study, as well as an acidity test, should be prescribed. If the carbohydrate content is more than 1% and the clinical picture is present, lactase deficiency is diagnosed in the baby and appropriate treatment is prescribed.

Opinion of E. Komarovsky

A popular pediatrician does not recommend conducting such a study for children who do not have a clinical picture of lactase deficiency. The result of the analysis in the absence of digestive disorders, even if it identified deviations from the norm, according to Komarovsky, is not a reason to diagnose the baby with “lactase deficiency” and prescribe treatment.

Content

One of the most important components of food and the main suppliers of energy for the body are carbohydrates. If the process of their assimilation (malabsorption) is disrupted, caused by acquired or congenital enzymatic deficiency, a general deterioration in human health is observed. Laboratory analysis of stool for carbohydrate content makes it possible to diagnose various pathologies and prescribe effective therapy that relieves the patient of unpleasant symptoms.

What are carbohydrates in feces

There is a laboratory study of feces, after decoding the results of which the quantitative content of sugars, disaccharides, poly- and monosaccharides, and maltose in the feces is established. When these substances are identified, further diagnostics of the patient is carried out to determine the causes of the pathological process. Laboratory testing is usually used to determine the presence of lactose intolerance in newborns and children in the first year of life.

Stool analysis for carbohydrates

The study is based on the ability of simple carbohydrates to act as a catalyst for various chemical reactions. These substances reduce copper cations, which are part of inorganic and organic compounds. As the chemical reaction progresses, the color of the component changes, thanks to which the laboratory assistant can draw conclusions about the presence of poly- and monosaccharides in biosamples.

After removing the stool from a sterile container, add a little distilled water to it. Next, the material is centrifuged and mixed with a chemical reagent. By the way the color has changed, one can judge the quantitative content of carbohydrates in feces:

If the color of the stool, when combined with the reagent, retains its original light blue color, then the cause of digestive disorders is not associated with improper absorption of carbohydrates. To obtain the most reliable analysis results, it is important not to change your usual diet or follow any diet on the eve of submitting the material to the laboratory.

Indications for analysis

Detection of carbohydrates in feces can be an independent diagnostic test or carried out in combination with other tests. As a rule, along with this, a fecal coprogram, fecal tests to detect dysbacteriosis, and genetic markers of lactase deficiency are carried out. Biochemical analysis is not performed on children during the first 3 months of life, since at this time the digestive processes are just beginning to form, and the result will be uninformative. Indications for the study are:

• stomach ache;
• frequent regurgitation;
• poor weight gain in a child;
• diarrhea;
• intestinal dysbiosis;
• increased gas formation, bloating;
• constipation.

Preparation

In order to obtain reliable results from examining stool for the presence of carbohydrates, it is important to properly prepare for the test. For this, doctors recommend:

• 3 days before this, exclude the use of rectal suppositories and do not do cleansing enemas;
• a week before the procedure, stop taking medications that can affect the character of stool (stimulate diarrhea, constipation), increase peristalsis, or contain dyes;
• the day before the test, do not change your usual diet, but give up alcohol and bright, colorful vegetables and fruits such as beets, asparagus, etc.;
• 2-3 days before submitting the sample, do not undergo diagnostic tests using contrast agents (MRI, CT, etc.).

How to take a stool test

If feces are taken for carbohydrates from an infant, it is not advisable to take a sample from the surface of the diaper, since the liquid part of the feces, which is necessary for the study, is absorbed by the absorbent inside the disposable panties. For adults, the procedure for collecting material for analysis is as follows:

• empty the bladder;
• carry out hygienic procedures for the external genitalia and anus with boiled water and soap (the product must be without dyes or flavors);
• after defecation, feces are collected with a special spatula into a dry, clean container with a lid (you can buy it at a pharmacy);
• the amount of biological material may vary, but it should be at least 1 tsp;
• samples are taken from the middle part of the feces, and only liquefied masses are taken;
• It is not recommended to collect samples directly from the toilet: if water gets on them, this will cause incorrect results;
• After collecting the biomaterial, the container is tightly closed with a lid, indicate your data on it (full name, age, date of collection) and within 4 hours the feces must be brought to the laboratory where the study will be carried out.

Decoding

The level of carbohydrates in feces is determined as a percentage. The results of the analysis differ between children of different ages and adults. Often the cause of unfavorable indicators is dysbiosis or immaturity of enzymatic systems. At the same time, the pediatrician carries out therapeutic measures and corrects microbiological disorders in the baby’s intestines. Laboratory tests of stool can also be prescribed for adults, and a common cause of the presence of carbohydrates in feces is a lack of pancreatic enzymes.

The ideal option is the absence of carbohydrates in the feces of children and adults, which indicates a normal state of health. Even those with a sweet tooth break down these organic substances, and then absorb the products of their metabolism. Carbohydrates are processed already at the stage of entering the oral cavity through enzymes in saliva. As food passes through the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract), they are completely absorbed.

There should be no carbohydrates in the feces of an adult, otherwise a pathological condition is detected and additional examinations are prescribed. The norm of carbohydrates in the feces of a baby up to 12 months is 0-0.25%. Indicators exceeding these numbers are a deviation from the norm. Moreover, if the analysis showed a result of 0.3-0.5%, this is a minor deviation, and with indicators of 0.6-1%, the average deviation is recorded. If stool contains 1% or more carbohydrates, such a deviation is considered significant. Norms for carbohydrate content in feces in children according to visual characteristics:

High carbohydrate content

Exceeding the amount of sugars in feces is allowed only in small children. The level of carbohydrates in their feces varies from 0.001 to 0.25%. If the baby does not have problems with appetite and active weight gain occurs, pediatricians do not consider even 0.5-0.6% a deviation. In cases where a more significant increased content of carbohydrates is recorded in the stool of an infant, there is a need for further examination of the child for lactase deficiency.

Reasons for deviations

Exceeding the permissible amount of carbohydrates in feces is characteristic of lactase deficiency; in addition, this may indicate a violation of the absorption of other sugars. The analysis may show a false positive result if the child shortly before took ascorbic acid, antibiotics, salicylates, or other drugs. In addition, an unreliable result can be obtained if the child ate a low-lactose formula before the analysis.

If there are low or moderate deviations from the norm in the carbohydrate content in the child’s feces, the patient continues to be monitored and, over time, an acidity test and another study are prescribed. If the carbohydrate level is above 1% and a certain clinical picture is present, the baby is diagnosed with lactase deficiency and treatment is prescribed. The carbohydrate content of stool may be explained by the presence of other pathological factors, including:

• chronic pathologies of the small intestine, including Crohn's disease (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract of the granulomatous type), celiac disease (lack of correct breakdown of gluten);
• secondary malabsorption of an acquired type (develops after intestinal infections, operations on the gastrointestinal tract);
• acquired deficiency of the sucrose-isomaltase complex, which is expressed by dyspepsia (disturbance of the digestive process) after eating cereals, products with malt, starch.

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