Your Cart is Empty
Lactose intolerance is an interesting phenomenon in human nutrition. It is caused by a deficiency in lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose - the main sugar in milk.
Now, it's rare for a baby to be born lactose intolerant, yet most of us end up being lactose intolerant by adulthood. Most adults(65%) develop lactose intolerance as they age because they gradually produce less lactase. So, while lactose intolerance is uncommon in newborns, it becomes more prevalent in adulthood.
See Also: What is Food Intolerance?
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms when you have milk, cheese, or yogurt, then your lactase production may be declining.
When the body can't digest lactose, the undigested lactose lands in the large intestine where gut bacteria ferment it. This fermentation produces gases like hydrogen and methane, leading to bloating and stomach pain.
The stomach pain comes from the gas and fluid buildup that stretches the colon lining.
Bloating is a common symptom of lactose intolerance. As mentioned above, the bloating is caused by undigested lactose that gets fermented in the intestines, which leads to the formation of thegases hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide. Short-chain fatty acids are also released.
After abdominal pain, nausea is the most common symptom of lactose intolerance, particularly in children. If you can't digest lactose, symptoms like nausea and bloating will appear within30 minutes to 2 hours after ingesting milk or other dairy products.
Lactose intolerance causes diarrhea because lactose is not digested and absorbed but stays in the intestines. The undigested lactose draws water into the intestines, increasing the water content in the stool - resulting in loose, watery stools.
Note: These symptoms are common to many other conditions, including overeating, medications, and other digestive issues, such asirritable bowel syndrome (IBS) andinflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
For some people, lactose intolerance can cause a burning pain that is very uncomfortable. For others, it is a feeling of pressure rather than cramps. The pain is mostly mild to moderate and is often accompanied by a sense of fullness or swelling in the stomach and intestines.
There are four types of lactose intolerance, each with its own cause.
Primary lactose intolerance happens naturally as people age. Most infants produce enough lactase to digest milk. However, after weaning, lactase production naturally decreases in the majority of people, leading to lactose intolerance in adulthood. This is the most common cause of the difficulty people have with digesting milk.
The reduction in lactose production is genetically programmed.
This condition develops as a result ofinjury or disease that damages the cells of the small intestine that produce lactase. In addition to surgery, the following conditions can cause temporary or permanent reduction of lactase production:
This is an uncommon condition where a baby is born with a lactase deficiency. It is a genetic disorder where a baby can't even tolerate breast milk. The genetic fault must be present in both parents for it to be passed on to their infant.
This condition is experienced by premature babies who don't have fully developed small intestines at birth. An underdeveloped small intestine can't produce sufficient lactase. This condition usually resolves as the baby matures.
Most people gradually develop an intolerance to the lactose in milk because they produce diminished amounts of lactase as they get older.
A person can also develop secondary lactose intolerance due to an injury, surgery, infection, or a chronic disease that damages their small intestine. These kinds of incidences can cause lactose intolerance even if the person didn't have prior difficulty digesting milk.
Certainethnic and racial groups are more likely to have lactose intolerance symptoms because they struggle to absorb lactose. In the United States, these groups are:
There is no treatment that can increase lactase production, which would be the solution to lactose intolerance. However, there are strategies you can implement to handle the condition.Suggestions from scientists include a low-lactose diet, oral lactase enzyme replacement, and prebiotics that produce bacterial lactase in the colon, among others.
The first, and obvious strategy is to stop using milk and milk products, or at least change your diet to a low-lactose one. Doctors don't recommend that people stop their dairy intake altogether because it can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
These days, health experts prefer that people try different dairy foods to see which one they can tolerate. The reason for this suggestion is that people experience lactose intolerance differently. After all, a person may not have as bad an experience with certain foods compared to other people suffering lactose intolerance.
A low-lactose diet includes dairy choices that are lower in lactose than milk, such as
Oral lactase treats lactose intolerance by replacing the lactase that the body cannot produce. It comes in a capsule or tablet form and assists the body in breaking down the lactose in milk and milk products.
Oral lactase will relieve symptoms, such as bloating, diarrhea, and gas.
Unless you live in the wilderness, you can find various lactose-free dairy products to include in your diet. You may be able to find:
Many people don't have to completely avoid foods and beverages containing lactose. According to research, those diagnosed with lactose intolerance can usually tolerate about12 grams of lactose (about 1 cup of milk).
Research has shown takingprebiotics can help with lactose intolerance. Prebiotics, such as galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and inulin, promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.
These bacteria can help break down lactose, potentially reducing symptoms of lactose intolerance.
See Also: 10 Probiotic Foods That You Should be Eating for Your Gut!
These days, there are many milk alternatives on the market that you can use instead of cow's milk. While milk is a good source of protein, calcium, and essential nutrients, milk alternatives are not necessarily on par with milk.
I bought some almond milk recently and was shocked at the meager quantity of protein it contains. It was basically water with some flavorings.
Let's look at some milk alternatives and if they are worth adding to your diet.
Made from almonds which are high in protein, the actual almond milk has very little protein. One cup of unsweetened almond milk has 40 calories and 1 gram of protein. And if it's not fortified with vitamins and minerals, it may not be worth adding to your diet.
See Also: 17 Practical Ideas to Get More Vitamins and Minerals through Diet!
If you make cashew milk at home, you'll have a drink that is nutritious and loaded with unsaturated fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. However, the store-bought stuff will be poor in protein and other nutrients, but most likely fortified with vitamin D and calcium, which comes naturally in whole milk, not low-fat milk.
Soy milk is a good milk alternative. It has many benefits. It's high in protein, contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and has no cholesterol. And it contains the same amount of protein as dairy milk.
Rice milk is basically a high-carbohydrate drink with low amounts of protein. It is also high in calories. If you like its light, sweet taste, make sure you buy one that is fortified with necessary nutrients.
Coconut milk is great to cook with due to its creamy consistency. In addition, the unsweetened version has no carbs. On the other hand, coconut milk contains saturated fat, which is undesirable for heart health.
Oat milk is seen as apromising alternative to traditional milk. It contains fatty acids, protein, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and a variety of micronutrients.
Oat milk has more protein than the other milk alternatives and also has fiber, which the others lack. Oat milk is also usually fortified with additional nutrients.
Lactase-fortified milk involves adding the enzyme lactase to regular milk to break down lactose which can cause digestive issues for people who are lactose intolerant. While the lactase-fortified milk is easier to digest, it is slightly sweeter than regular milk.
But the texture is similar and the nutritional value is the same as regular milk.
Milk is a major source of calcium in most people's diets. If you are cutting out milk and milk products, you may be at risk of a calcium shortage which is detrimental to your health. Calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth, muscle contractions, and normal blood clotting.
See Also: Hypocalcemia: What to Do When Calcium Levels are Low?
In order to ensure that you are getting adequate amounts of calcium find other food sources of calcium to enjoy, such as:
If you are lactose intolerant, it may be obvious that you should avoid milk and anything made from milk. What's not so obvious is the fact that lactose can hide in foods you don't necessarily associate with milk.
If you need to avoid lactose, it's essential to read all food labels. The following foods may contain small amounts of lactose.
When you are studying food labels, look for these words that might indicate the presence of lactose in the product without stating it directly:
Certain items have a small amount of lactose. If you are not very sensitive to lactose, these items might not bother you at all. But if you are very sensitive to lactose, you should avoid food items with these ingredients:
Prescription and over-the-counter medications may have traces of lactose. Check with your doctor about possible lactose in your medicine if you are very sensitive to lactose.
Once broken down in the large intestine, dietary fibers improve the diversity of the microbiota, boosting digestion. Some fibers promote the growth oflactose-digesting bacteria which can help reduce lactose intolerance symptoms.
See Also: The Crucial Need for Fiber in Our Diets and How Fiber Powders Can Help!
Research suggests that fiber, particularly psyllium mayhelp with lactose intolerance. Cellulose and pectin were also tested but psyllium significantly resulted in less lactose malabsorption and it also reduced the unpleasant symptoms associated with lactose intolerance.
The fiber allowed for slower digestion and delayed the emptying of the colon which contributed to improved lactose tolerance.
Yes, yogurt is a low-lactose food. Most people can tolerate yogurt provided they are not extremely lactose intolerant.
Casein intolerance is an inability to digest the protein in milk. Since whey is a protein, people who are casein intolerant should not consume whey.
Most people develop a degree of lactose intolerance as they get older. There is no cure for lactose intolerance but you can limit unpleasant symptoms by adjusting your diet.
Health experts suggest that people try various dairy products to see how much they can tolerate rather than completely excluding them. While limiting lactose-containing food and drink will alleviate symptoms, it can also lead to malnutrition.
Consult your health practitioner about taking additional calcium and vitamin D supplements or lactase tablets to help you digest lactose.
Suggested Reads: