Lactose Intolerance Overview
Lactose intolerance happens when a person’s body cannot break down the sugar in milk, known as lactose, cause of low levels of the enzyme lactase. Consequently consuming milk and dairy products can lead to bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea.
Avoiding dairy products or taking lactase supplements may help.
Lactose is a sugar found only in milk. Although, it is also present in dairy products and products made from milk, including cheese and ice cream.
If a person has lactose intolerance, their digestive system produces too little of an enzyme known as lactase. Lactase is needed to break down lactose.
Lactose intolerance is different from a milk allergy. In a milk allergy, the body reacts to milk proteins, not milk sugar. A milk allergy can result in severe symptoms, including anaphylaxis.
Worldwide, an estimated 68% of people have trouble digesting lactose. The figure is lower in the U.S., affecting 36% of individuals.
Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance
People with lactose intolerance experience symptoms after eating or drinking milk or dairy products that contain lactose.
Symptoms can range from mild discomfort to a severe reaction. This depends on how much lactase a person’s body produces and how much lactose they consumed.
Most people with lactose intolerance can eat some amount of lactose without experiencing symptoms. Each person has a different tolerance level.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance can include:
Therefore, the person may have a sudden urge to use the bathroom 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming lactose.
Consequently, chronic diarrhea can lead to dehydration, so it is important for a person to drink plenty of water if they have diarrhea.
Causes of Lactose Intolerance
Lactase is an enzyme produced in the small intestine. The body uses lactase to break down lactose into components called galactose and glucose. Furthermore, the glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream.
If a person’s lactase levels are low, the lactose does not break down and it does not absorb into the bloodstream. Instead, it moves into the large intestine, or colon.
Bacteria in the colon react to any product that contains lactose by creating more gas. Consequently, that can lead to discomfort and other unpleasant symptoms for the individual.
In some regions, more people carry a gene that allows them to digest lactose. Lactose intolerance is less common in people who are from Europe, or whose families are European origin.
Ethnicity
In the U.S., the following ethnic and racial groups are more likely to have trouble digesting lactose:
- African Americans
- American Indians
- Asian Americans
- Hispanics
- Latinos
Also, some people believe that it is not natural for people to drink milk, as humans are the only mammals that continue to consume milk products after weaning. As a result, they argue that lactose intolerance, is not a medical condition but a natural occurrence.
Diagnosis of Lactose Intolerance
If a person suspects that they are lactose intolerant, they can keep a food diary that lists the foods they eat and any symptoms that arise. In fact this can help them and their physician work out which foods are causing the symptoms.
Moreover, most doctors recommend that people try a lactose free diet for a period to see if symptoms improve.
Diagnostic Tests
While some tests can detect a lactose intolerance. They are:
- Hydrogen breath test: The person fasts overnight and then takes a lactose solution the following morning. A physician then measures the levels of hydrogen in exhaled air. High levels of hydrogen indicate lactose intolerance.
- Lactose tolerance test: The person consumes a lactose solution, and a physician takes blood samples to measure their glucose levels. If blood glucose levels remain the same, the body has not broken down the lactose properly.
- Stool sample test: Lactose tolerance tests and hydrogen breath tests are not suitable for infants, so a physician may perform a stool test. High levels of acetate and other fatty acids in the stool can be a sign of lactose intolerance.
Also physicians will want to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. For example, these include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and celiac disease.
Treatment of Lactose Intolerance
To avoid symptoms, a person with a severe lactose intolerance may need to avoid milk, milk products such as ice cream, and other processed foods that contain milk powder and whey.
Therefore, avoiding lactose may require some trial and error. Also, food labeling can help, as a product that contains lactose must have a label stating that it contains “milk.”
Many people with lactose intolerance can tolerate up to 10 grams of lactose, or around a glass of milk, without significant symptoms. In fact, spreading consumption throughout the day, and consuming lactose-containing products with meals, can increase tolerance.
People can use lactase enzyme supplements, which contain lactase, to break down the lactose in milk and milk products. In other words, this lowers the chances of lactose intolerance symptoms.
Summary
Lactose intolerance happens when a person’s body is unable to break down proteins in milk. It is very common, and can cause mild to severe symptoms.
While there is no cure for lactose intolerance, people can prevent symptoms by avoiding milk and products that contain milk, or by taking lactase enzymes.
Alternatives to milk and other dairy products are becoming increasingly popular in the West, and more of those products are becoming available all the time.
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