An Introductory Guide to Lactose Intolerance If you’re reading this article, then it’s either because you suspect you have lactose intolerance, or someone close to you might/might be suspected of having one. If so, then you have come to the right place. Here, we are going to explore the issues of lactose intolerance. By the time you finish reading this article, you should have a much better idea about this irritating, but relatively non-dangerous, condition. What Is Lactose Intolerance? Lactose intolerance is simply an inability, or the reduced ability, of the body to digest lactose. Lactose is a sugar that is found in certain dairy products, specifically milk and milk-based products. An intolerance to lactose can be quite time consuming, because many of our foods contain milk, and it takes time reading the packaging and working out which products you can and can’t have. Fortunately, because it has become increasingly common, and because it is becoming better known, there are more and more products being made specifically for people with a lactose intolerance (as well as milk allergies, but these are something different entirely to lactose intolerance). What Are the Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance? Generally, people with lactose experience similar symptoms. Most frequently, these are: • • • • •
Stomach aches Bloated stomach Trapped wind and flatulence Nausea – occasionally vomiting Diarrhoea
These symptoms tend to appear a short while after eating milk-based products. If you commonly experience these problems, you should start to keep a diary so that you can establish a pattern to the symptoms. What Can You Do To Help Yourself?
There are several things that you can do, and the one that works best for you is often something that you'll have to find through trial and error. Here are some ideas: 1.
Cut out all milk-based products. People with severe intolerance find that it’s just easier for them to cut out all milk-based products, and then introduce them again slowly in conjunction with number 2, below.
2.
Take a supplement or probiotic that helps to process milk. Many people find that supplements such as Prolactazyme Forte capsules and/or acidophilus probiotics help their bodies to digest lactose.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult working out which one will work for you. This is because the different supplements work on different constituents of milk. For example, Prolactazyme Forte capsules work more on lactose and the proteins in milk, whereas acidophilus is more precisely used for lactose. Finding the one that works for you means shopping around and trying different supplements. How Common Are Lactose And Milk Intolerances/Allergies? Humans are meant to stop digesting milk after a few months old, and the only reason we continue to be able to is because we continue to digest milk in the form of cow’s and goat’s milk. If we didn’t do this, we would – as a species – all become intolerant to milk. However, as it currently stands, around 5% of the world’s population is intolerant or allergic to milk. This is higher in certain populations than others are. It appears to be much higher in young children, and then, as they grow, they can be being to process milk.