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Determinants of Lactose Digestion in the Miniature Pig

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Abstract

Although lactose is an important nutrient in thediet of the infant and child, the factors contributingto its digestion have not been clarified adequately. Wesought to determine the degree to which lactase activity and small intestinal transit explainlactose digestion, the average error (SEE) in estimatinglactose digestion using these parameters, and the effectof age. We compared lactose digestion from both a 7% lactose-containing formula and asolution by determining lactose in ileostomy output inpig littermates at 10 days, 4 weeks, and 10 weeks ofage. The entire small intestinal mucosa was assayed for lactase specific activity (μmol µmin-1 µ g protein-1), totalactivity (μmol µ min-1), andwhole-villus lactase activity. Transit time (min), andtransit rate (cm/min) were measured. Meal type did notaffect lactose digestion. Lactose digestion wasexplained best by lactase specific activity (formula,R2 = 0.73, SEE 1.1; solution, R2= 0.69, SEE 1.0; P < 0.001). The next best parameterwas total transit rate (formula, R2 = 0.69, SEE = 2.0; solution,R2 = 0.46, SEE = 1.3). The relationship withlactase specific activity was age related and thereappeared to be a critical value of lactase specificactivity above which essentially all the lactose was digested.

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Authors
  1. Carol A. Redel
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  2. Robert J. Shulman
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  3. David R. Tivey
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Redel, C.A., Shulman, R.J. & Tivey, D.R. Determinants of Lactose Digestion in the Miniature Pig. Dig Dis Sci 42, 137–144 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018853625582

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