Today we are going to learn about this “sugar” that babies must eat and adults also need--Isomerized lactose. 

Isomerized lactose has several names, also known as lactulose. The raw material of isomerized lactose is lactose separated from milk - lactose is a disaccharide composed of galactose and glucose. Lactose undergoes an isomerization reaction under the action of alkali solution and catalyst, and then undergoes a series of processes such as separation and purification to obtain isomerized lactose. Isomerized lactose is also a disaccharide, composed of galactose and fructose, so it is also called lactulose.

Isomerized lactose will not be metabolized by oral microorganisms, so it will not cause dental caries; it cannot be hydrolyzed by enzymes in the small intestine, so it cannot be digested and absorbed by the human body. It will not cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels after consumption, so it is also suitable for diabetics consumption. Isomerized lactose can directly reach the human large intestine and become food for beneficial intestinal bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the large intestine, causing these bacteria to proliferate. Therefore, isomerized lactose is a kind of prebiotic, and it is also a prebiotic with a certain sweetness (not all prebiotics are sweet). Prebiotics are substances that can be selectively utilized by the host's flora and converted into substances that are beneficial to the host's health.

Lactulose--protects infant intestinal health.

Bifidobacterium is a typical representative of beneficial bacteria. In the intestinal flora of breastfed infants, the content of Bifidobacterium is relatively high, reaching 92.2%. In addition, breastfed babies have higher lysozyme activity measured in their feces (lysozyme has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, etc. effects), which is one of the manifestations of the baby's intestinal health. In the intestinal tract of artificially fed infants, the proportion of Bifidobacterium is only about 19%, and the proportion of Escherichia coli (opportunistic pathogenic bacteria) accounts for 24.4%.

However, after supplementing a certain amount of isomerized lactose to artificially fed infants, 24-96 hours later, the number of bifidobacteria in the infant's intestines increased significantly. At the same time, the lactic acid and acetic acid metabolized by these bacteria greatly reduce the intestinal pH value. The decrease in intestinal pH value can inhibit the growth of putrefactive bacteria in the intestine, maintain the health of the intestinal wall, reduce intestinal wall permeability, and reduce endotoxin to enter the bloodstream to maintain good health. Therefore, for artificially fed babies, adding an appropriate amount of isomerized lactose to baby food is of great significance to the baby's health.

Lactulose--helps patients with liver disease "detoxify".

After ingesting lactulose, the intestinal flora is restored to balance, beneficial bacteria increase, and the metabolized short-chain fatty acids reduce the intestinal pH. Most ammonia exists in the form of ammonia ions, which are not easily absorbed by the body. In an acidic environment, the balance of non-ionized ammonia and ionized ammonia changes, which can transfer ammonia in the blood to the large intestine and be excreted from the body, thereby reducing the blood ammonia content and greatly slowing down the occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy. As a bimolecular sugar, lactulose has a high osmotic pressure. Under the action of osmotic pressure, water molecules penetrate from the intestinal cell wall into the intestine. The human body will have a "laxative" effect and excrete ammonia and other substances in the intestine.

Lactulose--diabetic friendly.

Isomerized lactose has a certain sweetness, so it can replace sucrose as a sweetener; it cannot be broken down by human digestive enzymes, so it will not cause blood sugar fluctuations. Isomerized lactose can greatly reduce the number of harmful bacteria while promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria. Some of these harmful bacteria are related to inducing insulin resistance. Therefore, it can effectively eliminate insulin resistance in diabetic patients and relieve pancreatic load. The short-chain fatty acids secreted by beneficial bacteria can maintain the health of the intestinal wall, greatly reduce the permeability of the intestinal wall, reduce endotoxins from entering the blood, reduce systemic inflammation, delay the occurrence of complications, and improve the quality of life of diabetics.

Lactulose--a blessing for patients with long-term constipation.

In medicines and functional foods, isomerized lactose and a small amount of insoluble dietary fiber synergize to effectively treat patients with long-term constipation.