Why does sugar cause dumping?

[brenda1949 13]

I'm only five days post op and I haven't had this problem yet, I hope I don't. But I'm curious why is it that if you eat too much sugar you get the dumping syndrome. What is it about sugar?

[Djmohr 6,965]

Hi there!

There is a ton of information on line about dumping syndrome that can help you. You just need to google it. You have to remember it does not happen to everyone and the only way you will know if you are prone to it is by trying new foods when the time is right for you.

I happen to be very lucky and have never had an episode.

Here is a little info I pulled about why it happens:

Dumping syndrome is a group of symptoms caused by rapid passage of undigested food into the small intestine. The stomach has a valve at the top and bottom, and serves as an acid-filled storage tank, breaking food intake down into small, component parts and passing it to the small bowel in small increments.

After gastric bypass, ingested food passes directly into the small bowel, mixed only with saliva, but not the stomach acid. The component parts of the undigested food remain fairly intact and therefore large.

The small intestine responds by diluting the ingested food through a process of Water recruitment. The richer the food, in terms of sugar content, the more Water will rush into the small intestine to dilute it. This is referred to as early dumping.

I have talked to others who have experienced dumping from both sugary and fatty foods.