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🧪 What is the Reducing Substances – Stool Test?

The Reducing Substances test detects the presence of reducing sugars (such as glucose, fructose, lactose) in the stool. It helps identify carbohydrate malabsorption or disaccharidase deficiencies.

❓ Why is the Test Done?

To:

Diagnose carbohydrate malabsorption disorders like lactose intolerance
Investigate chronic diarrhea or steatorrhea in infants and children
Detect inborn errors of metabolism such as galactosemia
Evaluate unexplained failure to thrive

📊 Normal Range

Result	Interpretation
Negative or absent	Normal carbohydrate absorption
Positive (presence of reducing substances)	Suggests carbohydrate malabsorption

📈 Interpretation of Results

Finding	Possible Causes
Positive reducing substances	Lactose intolerance, congenital disaccharidase deficiency, galactosemia, dumping syndrome
Negative reducing substances	Normal carbohydrate digestion and absorption

🧠 Associated Conditions

Condition	Details
Lactose intolerance	Deficiency of lactase enzyme
Congenital disaccharidase deficiency	Genetic absence of enzymes like sucrase or maltase
Galactosemia	Metabolic disorder causing inability to metabolize galactose
Malabsorption syndromes	Celiac disease, cystic fibrosis

🔄 Related / Follow-Up Tests

Lactose tolerance test
Hydrogen breath test
Stool pH test
Genetic testing for metabolic disorders
Stool fat analysis

✅ Fasting Required?

Test	Fasting Required
Reducing Substances – Stool	❌ No

📝 Summary Table

Parameter	Details
What	Detects reducing sugars in stool indicating malabsorption
Why	Diagnose carbohydrate malabsorption and metabolic disorders
Normal Result	Negative or absent reducing substances
Positive Result	Indicates carbohydrate malabsorption
Associated Conditions	Lactose intolerance, galactosemia, disaccharidase deficiency
Follow-up Tests	Lactose tolerance, breath test, stool pH, genetic testing
Fasting Required	❌ No

Reducing Substances- Stool

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