A condition in which the body does not tolerate lactose, according to some assumptions, occurs in 75% of adults. The very concept of "lactose intolerance" describes the inability of the human body to absorb lactose - the sugar contained in milk.
How is lactose uptake?
To get into the blood, lactose must break down into the following components: glucose and galactose. This requires a certain enzyme called "lactase", produced in the small intestine. This is precisely the enzyme that many adults lack after the end of infancy. Lactose intolerance develops due to a lack of lactase. Imagine a person who drank milk or ate more dairy products than he can absorb. Excess lactose under the influence of bacteria of the colon turns into carbon dioxide and into lactic acid. After half an hour, typical signs appear that accompany lactose intolerance.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance
The patient feels discomfort and the following symptoms:
- Cramping
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
Those who do not know that they have lactose intolerance, trying to alleviate their condition, can still drink milk, thereby exacerbating their situation.
To determine the degree of assimilation of lactose, in each individual case, it is necessary to experimentally determine the amount of dairy products that will be absorbed by the body. You need to start with a small glass of milk. Observing the symptoms, the next time you can gradually increase the dose.
Is it an allergy?
The symptoms of milk allergy and lactose intolerance are somewhat similar, but there are significant differences. Allergy is a reaction of the body's immune system, intolerance is a violation of the digestive process. An allergy causes a rash or swelling and appears immediately - a few minutes after taking the dairy product. Intolerance is manifested after half an hour or an hour.
Where is lactose contained?
In addition to milk and its products (ice cream, cheese, butter, yogurt), lactose can be part of the following foods:
• sweets;
• bread and bakery products;
• margarine;
• cakes and pastries;
• many types of drugs;
• dry mashed potatoes;
• meat products;
• breakfast cereals;
• mixes for cookies and pancakes;
• soups;
• sauces.
Some people decide to completely exclude dairy products from the diet, but in this case, calcium deficiency in the body can be caused. Therefore, for proper nutrition, use other foods that contain much-needed calcium: broccoli, spinach, cabbage, sesame seeds, almonds, soft-bone fish (salmon or sardines).
You can follow the path of incomplete rejection of dairy products, and try to control the amount of lactose. For example, aged cheeses contain less lactose than regular cheeses. And yogurts are easier to digest than milk, because microorganisms in yoghurt synthesize lactase, which helps to absorb lactose.
With lactase deficiency in the analysis of feces of a person suffering from lactose intolerance, a process can be observed when one indicator is increased - a coefficient that determines lactose-negative enterobacteria. No treatment is required. These bacteria are involved in the digestion process, live in the intestines and are considered conditionally pathogenic - their specific amount should be no more than 5%. If the indicator is increased, then this can cause conditions similar to lactose intolerance.
For lactose intolerant patients, special preparations containing lactase are available. They help alleviate this condition.
Although the symptoms that cause lactose intolerance are unpleasant, they are usually not harmful to health.