sugar alcohols

Quoted message said:

What exactly are sugar alcohols, and when did they come about

Sugar alcohols are also called polyols. They are a kind of (non-intoxicating) alcohols derived from
sugar. They taste sweet, but many of them are very poorly absorbed and metabolized, making them very
low in dietary calories ... and sometimes causing them to act as strong laxatives (because they pass
right through the digestive tract, carrying lots of water).

Sugar alcohols are used as low-calorie sweeteners in small amounts. In large amounts, they are
used to purge the gastrointestinal tract of all its contents before intestinal surgery or
diagnostic procedures. Eating too much sugar alcohols in food may cause diarrhea, depending on
which one is involved.

Sugar alcohols include mannitol (often used to purge the GI tract), sorbitol, xylitol (similar to
sugar in sweetness and calories), isomalt, erythritol (tastes like sugar, but has virtually no
calories and does not cause diarrhea), and many others.

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Sugar alcohols are used as low-calorie sweeteners in small amounts. In
: large amounts, they are used to purge the gastrointestinal tract of all its contents before
: intestinal surgery or diagnostic procedures. Eating too much sugar alcohols in food may cause
: diarrhea, depending on which one is involved.

: Sugar alcohols include mannitol (often used to purge the GI tract),

We see Mannitol used in the neuro ICU, to rid the body of water (e.g. reduce ICP). The skull isn't
going to give, so we've gotta shrink swollen brains somehow -- this is one way -- via dehydration.

Everytime i've ever tried sorbitol products (e.g. no sugar candies), i get awful GI cramps. Nasty!

Emma

Emma Chase VanCott said:

We see Mannitol used in the neuro ICU, to rid the body of water (e.g. reduce ICP). The skull isn't
going to give, so we've gotta shrink swollen brains somehow -- this is one way -- via dehydration.

How is it used to produce dehydration?

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Mxsmanic <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Emma Chase VanCott writes:

: > We see Mannitol used in the neuro ICU, to rid the body of water (e.g. reduce ICP). The skull
: > isn't going to give, so we've gotta shrink swollen brains somehow -- this is one way -- via
: > dehydration.

: How is it used to produce dehydration?

The action is same as a laxative (keep in mind that there are various types of laxatives).

You pretty much already described it <G>.

Some laxatives work by sucking water out of the system, and into the GI lumen -- to add water to the
GI contents (stool).

It's just a physiological fluid shift, really. Steal from one to give to the other.

Emma