Everyone who’s fructose intolerant wishes to eat normally again. Be it in a restaurant or the snack bar on the corner, you always have to watch what you’re eating, which ingredients could’ve been used and if you can handle every single one of them. Usually it ends up with you eating nothing, going home and cooking by yourself. And even if you can, there could always be something left you didn’t think of and boom! – you’re having problems again.
But there’s help out there. Fructaid is a drug that became available on the german market in 2016. It doesn’t cure your fructose intolerance, but helps you with the digestion of fructose and thus can help you lessen or even avoid the pain.
What is Fructaid?
Fructaid is a drug made by Pro Natura. It’s main ingredient is an enzyme called Glucose-Isomerase, which is of microbial origin. This means it’s made using bacteria and therefore vegan, so even people who try to not consume animal products can use it.
How does Fructaid work?
Glucose-Isomerase chemically reacts with the glucose and fructose in our food. This reaction has Glucose-Isomerase change glucose to fructose until these sugars have balanced out in your blood stream. If this reaction only were to work one-way the drug wouldn’t work. But since it is a balance reaction, Glucose-Isomerase also keeps changing fructose to glucose, until there’s a balance again. This is aided by the fact that our body processes glucose really quick so there never is a real balance between the two.
What dosage of Fructaid is best?
The instruction leaflet states „a few minutes prior to eating food containing fructose take 1– 4 capsules with liquid up to 4 times a day, […] but never more than 10 capsules a day“.
In general there is no exact instruction on dosage other than the upper limit. Though there’s no reason given as to why you shouldn’t be taking more than 10 capsules a day, which is strange since there are no known side effects to the reaction.
Where can I get Fructaid?
At the moment, Fructaid is solely available in drug stores (in Germany). Most drug stores sell the small package, containing 30 capsules. There are other packages, containing 60 and 120 capsules, but these usually have to be pre-ordered. Many online drug stores also sell Fructaid.
How is Fructaid related to Xylosolv?
Xylosolv Is another drug meant to change fructose to glucose. It was available for sale even before Fructaid came around, but has since been taken off the market for legal reasons concerning patents and is only still available in Austria. Xylosolv uses a different enzyme called Xylose-Isomerase, which basically does the same as Glucose-Isomerase and therefore breaks the german patent law.
My personal experience with Fructaid
When I first took Fructaid, I was very sceptical. For one I thought the dosage instructions were way too unclear and „no ill side effects“ simply means no one has reported any (yet). I tried it anyways and took two capsules shortly before eating a regular main dish. This worked just fine. I was excited, because this opened up a whole new world of possibilities. I could eat out again and even have desserts. I didn’t have to watch silently anymore while other’s enjoyed life’s sweets, I could join them again. I usually take another capsule prior to desserts, since I’m always anxious the two capsules I took prior to the main dish might just not be enough when also having desserts.
I am so satisfied with Fructaid, that even vacations don’t bother me anymore and I can book „all inclusive“ again when going abroad.
Conclusion
Fructaid is a great option for anyone wanting to eat out again or whose parents and family are having way too much trouble accustoming to your intolerance. I wouldn’t recommend taking it on a regular basis though, since the only way to keep your intolerance at bay is constantly eating at the limits of your tolerance.
