HFI Laboratory at Boston University

HFI Treatment

The normal treatment, if you suffer from HFI, is a strict fructose free diet. This involves exclusion of anything containing fructose, sucrose, or sorbitol. Implementation and adherence to this diet is often difficult, but not impossible. People on this diet live normal and healthy lives, although the danger of inadvertent fructose ingestion remain. Furthermore, it is unclear what long-term effects there might be on liver function from prolonged neonatal encounter with fructose. In extreme cases of life-threatening liver damage, liver transplants have been performed.

These consequences are not likely if, instead of HFI, there is a fructose malabsorption problem.  Treatment, however, of both is similar.

Below are two examples of diets currently in use by HFI patients. More information concerning what can and cannot be eaten might be found on the HFI support group bulletin-board.

                        Fructose Free Diet 1 (Reprinted by permission of Blackwell Science, Inc.)

                        Fructose Free Diet 2 (Personal communication from HFI family diagnosed by Dr. Tolan)

                        Fructose Free Diet 3 (A few suggestions from HFI Subjects)

Other Resources for finding the fructose contents in foods.  This information is often difficult to find.

·        International Food Information Council Home Page

·        Table of sugars and their tolerance for HFI patients (some “Not Tolerated” items are likely due to an overwhelming aversion to sweets and are physiologically not harmful, but be careful)

·        Information about Fructose Content in Foods and Recipes

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