DOES BEANO PREVENT GAS - A DOUBLE-BLIND CROSSOVER STUDY OF ORAL ALPHA-GALACTOSIDASE TO TREAT DIETARY OLIGOSACCHARIDE INTOLERANCE

Background. Beano, an over-the-counter oral solution of alpha-galactos idase, is used to prevent flatus and other gastrointestinal symptoms r esulting from a high-fiber diet. The efficacy of this product, however , has not yet been adequately evaluated. Methods. Nineteen subjects we re randomized into two groups and fed test meals of meatless chili. At the first test meal, group 1 received eight drops of alpha-galactosid ase solution and group 2 received eight drops of placebo. After the me al, subjects were asked to keep a careful record of gastrointestinal s ymptoms, including occurrences of intestinal gas passage, for the next 6 hours. One week later, an identical test meal was served to each st udy subject and the solutions were reversed. Again subjects recorded t heir symptoms for the next 6 hours. Data were analyzed by means of pai red t tests. Results. The number of flatulence events per hour was sig nificantly less in the group treated with alpha-galactosidase than pla cebo over the 6-hour follow-up period (F = 2.87, P = .016). When the t wo groups were compared at each follow-up interval, this difference wa s statistically significant only for the 5th hour after ingesting the test meal (t = 2.19, P = .04). No differences between the two groups w ere found in the extent of bloating or pain following the meal. Conclu sions. Oral alpha-galactosidase solution is efficacious, at least in s ome patients, for the prophylaxis of gastrointestinal intolerance of o ligosaccharides.