Maltose, lactose and sucrose in human health and disease
What it found
Sugars like maltose provide dietary energy but constant or excess intake is linked to life-threatening issues.
Genetic enzyme deficiencies can also cause specific sugar intolerances.
What they found
Studies in people
Energy from sugars
Getting energy from sugars in food offers nutritional benefits for people.
Risks of excess intake
Constantly eating too much sugar is linked to life-threatening problems in people.
Genetic sugar intolerance
Some people lack the digestive enzymes needed to break down certain sugars. This genetic issue causes specific intolerances when those sugars are eaten.
What the authors conclude
- They say it is critical to understand how these common sugars affect health and illness because people eat them so often.
- Their work explains how these molecules are built and how they behave in the body.
How it was done
People regularly eat these sugars, so the authors wanted a single reference explaining their role in nutrition. They aimed to cover both benefits and harms.
The authors searched major science databases for key studies on lactose, maltose and sucrose. They selected important reference works and discussed their findings together.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a summary of existing research rather than a new trial. It cannot prove that any one sugar directly causes a specific disease.
The paper
- Title
- Lactose, Maltose, and Sucrose in Health and Disease
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Qi X, Tester RF (2020). Lactose, Maltose, and Sucrose in Health and Disease. Molecular nutrition & food research. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201901082PubMed 32045507DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error