Effect of acetylsalicylic acid on symptoms and hydrogen excretion in the disaccharide tolerance test with lactose or lactulose.

Prostaglandins play a role in the pathogenesis of symptoms of food intolerance. An alleviation of lactose intolerance by premedication with the prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitor acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) has been reported. We studied the effect of 900 mg of ASA and of a glucose placebo on disaccharide intolerance symptoms and on breath hydrogen (H2) excretion in 16 healthy adult males 12 of whom were lactose malabsorbers and received 50 g of lactose 30 to 40 min after ASA; the remaining four were lactose absorbers and received 30 g of lactulose. Premedication with ASA had no significant effect on the severity and duration of intolerance symptoms and on the timing of H2 excretion. In contrast, the maximal breath H2 concentration and the total H2 excretion were significantly increased after ASA administration. We conclude that prostaglandins are of minor importance in causing the usually moderate symptoms of disaccharide intolerance. Prostaglandin-synthesis inhibition by ASA may reduce the motility of the colon thereby permitting more colonic gas (derived from unabsorbed carbohydrates) to be absorbed and excreted.