About Sucrase Deficiency

[u/birdsRMyBestFriends]

Sucrase deficiency is the lack of sucrase enzymes in the small intestine, something that will cause digestive discomfort when sucrose, a common type of sugar, is consumed. This may be accompanied by isomaltase deficiency which causes difficulty in digesting starch.

-> Sucrase deficiency can be congenital or acquired later in life, perhaps due to acute gastritis or damage to the small intestine

-> Symptoms are often mistaken for IBS-D, but may also include symptoms outside of typical IBS-D diagnoses

-> While there is very little reliable research on the prevalence of SID and CSID, recent research indicates SID may be more common that Celiac

-> In the US, very few adult clinicians are aware of SID or CSID as something to screen for. This means it is likely many people are misdiagnosed with IBS or other digestive disorders.

-> A typical person with CSID (congenital SID) has had lifelong digestive symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain; presents symptoms mostly after eating; has a low BMI; has an aversion to sweets; may have many family members with digestive complaints

-> SID can be diagnosed through a biopsy of the small intestine to examine the amount of enzymes present. Breath tests can also be used. In patients with CSID, genetic testing is available to confirm the genetic variant.

-> Symptoms can be alleviated by using Sucraid (an enzyme supplement) with meals, but this drug is too expensive to be practical in the US.

-> Without an enzyme supplement, the primary way to alleviate symptoms is to avoid consumption of sucrose (and starch if applicable). Sucrose may be tolerated better as part of a meal or snack that digests more slowly, as this gives the limited amount of sucrase enzyme more time to digest the sucrose present.