Rm. Prieto et al., DISACCHARIDASE ACTIVITIES IN PREGNANT AND LACTATING RATS, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Physiology, 109(3), 1994, pp. 741-747
The changes in intestinal disaccharidase activities in pregnancy and l
actation could be explained as a result of an adaptation to the energy
demands of each reproductive stage. To examine these changes, disacch
aridase activities (lactase, sucrase, maltase, and trehalase) were mea
sured in the jejunum and ileum of virgin, pregnant and lactating Wista
r rats. Minor changes in disaccharidase activities were observed in pr
egnancy, whereas an increase of disaccharidase activities per small in
testine length normalized to body mass was observed in lactation.