Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (9)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by BEAUMONT, D.M.
Right arrow Articles by JAMES, O. F. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by BEAUMONT, D.M.
Right arrow Articles by JAMES, O. F. W.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1987 Oxford University Press

research-article

PASSIVE AND ACTIVE CARBOHYDRATE ABSORPTION BY THE AGEING GUT

D.M. BEAUMONT, Senior Registrar*,1, L. COBDEN, First assitant1, SHELDON W. L., Senior Biochemist1, M. F. LAKER, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Biochemistry2 and O. F. W. JAMES, Professor of Geriatrics{ddagger},3

1Department of Medicine, (Geriatrics), University of Newcastle Upon, Tyne Newcastle Upon Tyne
2Department of Clinical, Biochemistry, University of Newcastle Upon, Tyne Newcastle Upon Tyne
3University of Newcastle Upon, Tyne Newcastle Upon Tyne

{ddagger}Address correspondence to Professor O. F. W. James, The University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Department of Medicine (Geriatrics), Floor 4—Clinical Block, The Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH.M.

We investigated the effects of advanced age, hospitalization and poor nutrition on passive and active carbohydrate absorption using the probe molecules lactulose and mannitol (passive absorption), and 3-O-methylglucose (active absorption). We studied five groups of subjects; healthy controls aged 20–30 years, 40–50 years and over 65 years, respectively, together with long-stay patients and elderly in-patients being investigated for malnutrition. Each subject undertook two separate studies ingesting a drink containing 5 g lactulose, 2 g mannitol and 2.5 mg 3-O-methylglucose (3-O-MG), on one occasion in isotonic solution and in the second study in hypertonic solution, following overnight fast. Urinary recovery of all three probe molecules declined significantly with age (P<0.02) and was reduced in malnourished elderly subjects compared to healthy elderly controls (P<0.05). Correction of urinary recoveries for renal function on the basis of creatinine clearance abolished significant differences between groups. Thus passive absorption of carbohydrate is not impaired with advanced age in healthy elderly subjects or long-stay hospital patients. The ratio of the percentage recovery of 3-O-MG to the percentage recovery of mannitol was significantly reduced in the healthy elderly subjects compared to middle-aged and young controls in the hypertonic study; similar changes did not occur in the long-stay and malnourished elderly patients, interpretation of this finding is thus difficult. If confirmed, this impairment would suggest a possible defect in active sugar transport in the elderly.

accepted in revised form February 10, 1997.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.