Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Please my sons are both doing science projects on understanding lactose intolerance. Science Buddies has given us the information we need to do the experiment but we are having problems getting all the materials needed. First, we could not get the lactase liquid drops anywhere in Atlanta and found this item online but timing was crucial we needed it yesterday. Now the teacher suggested lactase enzyme tablet so we have that instead. Now the hardest part is knowing which type of glucose test strips to use. We've asked several pharmacists, teachers and others in the health field and no one could answer this question. Please we need to know what type of glucose strips to get-the blood glucose strips along with a meter or urine test strips which was suggested by another site and we actually purchased but they did not work. The boys' science teachers have no clue and I'm upset because we've spent a lot of money we did not have.

Please what kind of glucose strips should we get

Hi,

These are the kind I think the project is referring to: http://www.diabetes-diabetic-diet.com/d ... _strip.htm . The problem is, I think those strips have been phased out in favor of more accurate blood meters, because I couldn't find a lot about them on the web.

What happened with the urinalysis strips? Did they really not even give you qualitative results? Did you get any color changes at all? The positive and negative controls should have been different, at least!

Would it be possible for you to call your local hospital, explain what you are doing, and ask to borrow a glucose meter and a few strips designed for that meter? The meters -should- work, but I know that the meter/strip combination can be quite expensive. Alternatively, do you know anyone who is diabetic? They might be able to loan you a meter and give you some strips for it.

You also might want to go back to your pharmacy and ask specifically for color-changing strips. They ought to at least know what you're talking about at that point, although they may not have any in stock. They would still have a better idea of who might have them once they know what you're looking for.

I am sorry this project has been frustrating; I will let Science Buddies know that the project needs to be revised.

Good luck!

Thank you, thank you so much. I actually had a cheap blood glucose meter that we found at Walgreens but when we looked at a similar website on this experiment it said use urine test strips which did not work. There was no change in color for the solutions and that is where we almost gave up on doing this experiment. I'm going back to get the meter and strips and try it. Hope this works. I'm glad you will let science buddies know that instructions on specific material would be a great help to those of non-science experts.

Thanks-Sheryl Williams

Hi Sheryl - I am sorry that you have had trouble with this project, in part caused by a lack of specific information in the project itself regarding the glucose strips. I am following up with our team of staff scientists to adjust the project so that it is clearer.

The author of the project says that the strips are Bayer's Diastix(tm) glucose reagent strips for urinalysis, available at drug stores. The strips needed for the project are NOT the kind used to test blood. (I'm having this clarified in the project ASAP.)

I see from what you've written that you did try urinalysis strips - and saw no change. I'm hoping an Expert will respond here with some things that might be causing this.

Again, I apologize for the problem you encountered with the materials.

Amy
Science Buddies

Hi Sheryl - I want to follow up again with you... I know how short your timeline is at this point.

Our staff scientist (and author of the project) says that one of the steps to take to troubleshoot what may be happening is to make sure the urinalysis strips you have are "working." You can verify this by testing them with a glucose solution or in a fruit juice (like apple juice).

Amy
Science Buddies

Sheryl - I doubt that changing projects at this late a date is what you or your student wants to do. But our staff scientist noted that if your strips are working but the project is not, there is another project that tests for glucose in food, uses the strips you have, and can be done quickly. (He says it can be done in a day.)

The project is:
How Sweet It Is! Measuring Glucose in Your Food
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p049.shtml

Given your timeline, if you do decide to try this, you can skip the part about making a dilution series and just use the "key" on the side of the tube from your test strips. This will speed up the process.

Please let us know how it goes.

Amy
Science Buddies

Hi,

I'm so sorry I recommended the wrong strips! As I said, I'm not diabetic or anything, so I wasn't sure.

I don't know why the urinalysis strips wouldn't work. This is kind of gross, but did you try using them in urine to see if they would work on that? You definitely should have gotten a color change with the glucose solution; if not, I would suggest taking them back to the pharmacy and asking what went wrong. If you got no changes at all and you followed the instructions for using the strips, you should have gotten a color change.