Sucrose malabsorption in man after ingestion of alpha-glucosidehydrolase inhibitor.

The effect of an alpha-glucosidehydrolase inhibitor (alpha-G.H.I.) on intestinal absorption of sucrose was assessed by measuring rises in blood-glucose and intestinal hydrogen production after ingestion of 100 g sucrose. 200 mg alpha-G.H.I. given with the sucrose completely inhibited early postprandial blood-glucose rises, prevented late postprandial dips in blood-glucose, and considerably increased breath-hydrogen levels, which indicates sucrose malabsorption. Thus the inhibitor can be used to study carbohydrate malabsorption and may be useful as a method for retarding carbohydrate absorption.