Lactose intolerance: symptoms and remedies

By Cristiano Antonino Last updated Aug 28, 2022

Lactose is a sugar found mainly in milk and dairy products. The small intestine, the organ where one of the basic steps of food digestion and nutrient absorption takes place, is capable of producing an enzyme called lactase

Lactase’s main task is to break down (break) lactose into two simpler forms of sugar

glucose,
galactose,

which the body is able to absorb into the bloodstream.

We speak of lactose intolerance when a person is unable to digest food containing lactose, on pain of various symptoms mainly at the gastrointestinal level; the most common cause is lactase deficiency in the intestine.

This is not a serious condition and it is generally sufficient to avoid consuming risky foods to prevent any symptoms.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance occur following the consumption of lactose and include:

abdominal bloating
diarrhoea,
presence of intestinal gas,
abdominal pain and cramping,
feeling of fullness,
intestinal gurgling,
nausea.

Symptoms appear approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking lactose-containing foods and their severity may range from mild to severe, depending on

amount of lactose consumed,
amount of lactase available.

Besides causing these unpleasant symptoms, lactose intolerance can indirectly cause health complications if not properly managed

A diet low in or devoid of milk and dairy products may in fact expose you to the risk of deficiency of

vitamin D,
calcium.

If with good and regular exposure to the sun, the body can be entrusted with the production of a sufficient amount of the vitamin, for calcium the situation can be more complicated; calcium is an essential mineral at all ages, both for growth and for maintaining healthy bones.

Insufficient intake can lead to bones that are less dense and therefore less resistant, and more likely to break (osteoporosis).

Some alternative, non-dairy foods that are a good source of calcium are:

fish with soft bones that you can eat, such as canned sardines and salmon,
broccoli,
some breakfast cereals,
tofu (a food derived from soya)
plant milks fortified with calcium.

HOW MUCH LACTOSE CAN ONE CONSUME WITHOUT EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS?

Most people with lactose intolerance are able to consume a certain amount of lactose in their diet, without therefore needing to avoid foods containing it completely; each patient is able to tolerate a different amount of lactose, due to several factors, first and foremost the amount of lactase produced in the intestine.

The literature suggests that adults and adolescents with lactose malabsorption should be able to eat/drink at least 12 grams of lactose at a time without experiencing symptoms or the appearance of minor symptoms.

This amount is contained in about one cup of milk.

The amount tolerated can however also vary depending on how it is distributed during the day and whether or not consumption takes place on an empty stomach (higher risk situation).

ARE MILK ALLERGY AND LACTOSE INTOLERANCE THE SAME THING?

No.

Milk allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to milk proteins and symptoms include

urticaria
skin rash (eczema)
and stomach pain.

It is a common allergy in infants and children

Milk allergy usually occurs in the first year of life (and is then usually outgrown), while symptoms of lactose intolerance are rare before the age of 2 or 3 years.

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