why does the *lack* of an enzyme result in gas?

Question

Shouldn’t more thorough digestion from a gut biome result in more carbon dioxide production? Why does incomplete digestion of lactose and fructose and whatever’s in onions result in bloating and gas?

In: 5

Answer 1

The enzyme is lacked by your body so it doesn’t get broken down earlier in your gut where it can be absorbed and metabolized within your body. Instead it continues on to later stages with bacteria that *does* have the enzyme, and when they metabolize it they produce a lot of gas. Both ways it gets broken down and metabolized, it just differs on when in the gut that happens and if it is by your own cells or those of bacteria.