Lactulose is a synthetic sugar that physicians prescribe to treat constipation, a liver disease called hepatic encephalopathy and other conditions. Lactulose is a liquid that you take orally one to four times daily, depending on the condition. Side effects include diarrhea, gas, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Consult your doctor about the nutritional facts and benefits of lactulose.
Probiotic
Lactulose is a probiotic, a substance that is able to stimulate growth of healthy bacteria in your intestinal tract. Probiotics can help you prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections, urinary tract infections and irritable bowel syndrome and aid you in the prevention or reduction of the severity of colds and flu. Research by scientists at Sao Paulo University and published in the "International Journal of Food Microbiology" in January 2011 found lactulose in fermented milk increases the amount of other probiotic bacteria, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Bifidobacterium lactis.
Antioxidant
Lactulose has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that can protect your cells against the effects of free radicals, molecules that are produced when your body breaks down food and is exposed to environmental toxins and radiation. Free radicals can adversely affect cellular function, accelerate aging and cause heart disease, cancer and other conditions. Research by scientists at Second Military Medical University and published in "Medical Hypotheses" in March 2011 reports lactulose is a unique antioxidant that can produce high amounts of hydrogen that protects against colon inflammation and may ameliorate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.
Constipation
Lactulose is an effective stool softener for the treatment of constipation, a condition characterized by hard, dry and difficult-to-pass stools. Constipation occurs when the stool slowly transits through the large intestines, causing you to have three or fewer bowel movements per week. Lactulose breaks down in the colon into smaller substances that pull water out from your body and into your colon, which helps to soften your stools.
Hepatic Encephalopathy
Hepatic encephalopathy is a brain disorder caused by liver damage in which the liver can no longer remove toxic chemicals, such as ammonia, from the blood. The toxic chemicals enter the brain and adversely affect its function. Symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy include loss of water from your body, low oxygen levels, confusion, poor concentration, anxiety, fatigue, brain swelling and permanent nervous system damage. Lactulose is an effective treatment that works by absorbing ammonia and toxins from your blood into your colon for excretion from your body. Lactulose is effective in preventing hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis, a condition characterized by scarring of the liver, according to research by scientists at Pant Hospital and published in the "Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology" in June 2011.
References
- MedlinePlus; Lactulose; June 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Is It Important to Include Probiotics in a Healthy Diet?; Katherine Zeratsky; April 2010
- "International Journal of Food Microbiology"; Use of Lactulose as Prebiotic and Its Influence on the Growth, Acidification Profile and Viable Counts of Different Probiotics in Fermented Skim Milk; Oliveira De Souza, et al.; January 2011
- MedlinePlus; Antioxidants; 2010
- "Medical Hypotheses"; Lactulose: An Indirect Antioxidant Ameliorating Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Increasing Hydrogen Production; Xiao Chen, et al.; March 2011
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; What I Need to Know About Constipation; 2008
