By Dave Warner
There’s some good news about lactose intolerance, and then there’s some not-quite-so-good news.
First, the good: in adults, it’s not dangerous. If you suffer from it, you have plenty of company – some 30 million American adults are suffering along with you.
And now, the not-so-good news: it can be a really uncomfortable condition, marked by abdominal bloating, cramps, diarrhea, gas and nausea.
In children, lactose intolerance can be a different story altogether. They can actually lose weight and grow more slowly than they would otherwise.
All of this is caused by the body’s inability to digest lactose, which is a kind of sugar in milk and dairy products. That is a situation caused when the body fails to make enough lactase, an enzyme that comes from the small intestine.
Generally speaking, it’s a condition that is more likely to occur in adults, especially as they get older. Indeed, it strikes some ethnic groups more than others. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians and Asian Americans are more prone to it than those who hailed from northern Europe.
Premature infants can suffer from it too – lactase does not increase until the third trimester of pregnancy.
Otherwise, it’s a condition that may begin when you’re a toddler, about age 2, but the symptoms may not appear until adulthood. There is some possibility that it’s genetic in that form.
The condition can also be caused, however, by some intestinal issues – severe diarrhea, celiac disease (which involves the upper small intestine), Crohn’s disease or chemotherapy.
If you think you may have it you should talk with your doctor. He or she may suggest not drinking milk or eating milk products to see if that solves the problem.
There is a test that helps detect it, called the hydrogen breath test. Undigested lactose causes high hydrogen levels. For young children, doctors use a stool acidity test which can help detect the condition.
Changes in your diet can help
If you suffer from lactose intolerance, your body does not handle dairy products well.
So one of the first things that may help you is to either limit milk products, or eliminate them from your diet completely. Many people with the condition can drink about a half cup of milk without causing issues.
In addition, not all dairy products are created equal when it comes to lactose.
Here are some alternatives you can try if you suffer from lactose intolerance: buttermilk, cheese, yogurt, goat’s milk, lactose-free milk, or soy formula for babies.
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