What is Lactose Intolerance?

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is characterized by the inability to digest lactose, a type of sugar found in dairy products, called lactose (NHS, 2019).

When consuming food and drink containing lactose, for example, cheese and coffee, the body needs the help of an enzyme named lactase to break down the lactose sugar into smaller pieces for digestion and absorption (see image below). Individuals with a lactose intolerance produce less lactase enzyme, so their body finds it more difficult to digest lactose properly when they consume a large amount of a lactose-containing food/drink. (Monash University, 2019).

(Ashish, 2022)

What Types of Lactose Intolerance are there?

Did you know approximately 65% of the world’s population are, to some degree, lactose intolerant? (Dworak, 2020)

Depending on the cause of the intolerance, you can either have a primary or secondary lactose intolerance.

Most people have what is known as primary lactose intolerance, which is hereditary and is present from birth or develops over the years. This is the type of intolerance I have, which I discovered at eighteen. Since my diagnosis I have researched many different ways to help limit the effects of this condition on my everyday life, which I look forward to sharing later on.

In addition, other diseases can cause the intolerance – this is called secondary lactose intolerance. The most common reason for this, is damage to the mucous membrane of the small intestine, which can be caused by inflammatory bowel diseases, celiac disease or other food allergies (Dworak, 2020).

What are the Symptoms?

Common symptoms of Lactose Intolerance typically occur 30-120 minutes after consumption (Dworak, 2020).

Symptoms include:

- Abdominal cramping

- Bloating

- Gas

- Diarrhoea

- Nausea

Personally, I massively struggled with the nausea and vomiting side effects, which was enough for me to make the decision to completely eradicate dairy from my diet, however, strict avoidance is unnecessary for everyone, as exposure to too much lactose will never result in life threatening symptoms.

Is there anything I can take/do to improve my tolerance to lactose?

Lactase enzyme products (tablets and drops) are available at most pharmacies and may assist with lactose digestion when taken with a lactose containing food. Over the past year, I have tried multiple products, for example ‘Boots Good Gut Lactase Enzymes’ and ‘Lamberts Lactase Complex Supplements’, which I feel have significantly reduced the impact of my symptoms. Consuming lactose containing foods together with other foods may also improve tolerance.

Complications of Lactose Intolerance

Milk and other dairy products contain high levels of calcium, protein, and vitamins, such as A, B12 and D. Lactose also helps your body absorb several other minerals, such as magnesium and zinc. These vitamins and minerals are important for the development of strong, healthy bones

If you're lactose intolerant, getting the right number of important vitamins and minerals can prove difficult. This may lead to unhealthy weight loss and put you at increased risk of developing conditions such as osteopenia, osteoporosis, and malnutrition.

When I was first diagnosed Lactose Intolerant, I noticed small changes such as slight weight loss, as I was restricted from so many foods that I was used to eating daily. I also noticed my body started to feel weak and I experienced fatigue, which is when I began researching different types of vitamins and minerals that could protect my bone density and improve my overall wellbeing.

Overview of Foods Containing Lactose

Depending on the degree of severity, I would recommend consuming lactose-free or low-lactose food. The following table, illustrates which products to avoid, and which have a low lactose content:

Dairy Product	Lactose Content	Serving Size	Lactose Classification
Low fat milk	15.25g	250ml	High
Natural yogurt	8.5g	170ml	High
Sour cream	3.13g	125ml	Moderate
Ricotta cheese	1.6g	80g	Moderate
Feta cheese	0.13g	125g	Low

(Monash University, 2019)

 Thank you so much for taking the time to come and read my first blog. Any other interaction or feedback is always welcome. Connect with me via the comments section below, or email (livinglifedairyfree@gmail.com). And don't forget to keep an eye on my Instagram for additional content, such as polls and stories (@life.afterdairy).  

References

Ashish, A. (2022) What is Lactose Intolerance? Science ABC. Available from: https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/what-is-lactose-intolerance-signs-symptoms-lactase-enzyme.html [Accessed 9 October]

Dworak, N. (2020) Lactose intolerance – all you need to know about it. Verival. Available from: https://www.verival.co.uk/blog/nutrition/lactose-intolerance-all-you-need-to-know/ [Accessed 7 October]

Monash University. (2019) What is Lactose Intolerance? FODMAP Blog. Available from https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/what-is-lactose-intolerance/ [Accessed 9 October]

Muir, A. (2018) Lactose Intolerance – How to Manage It. Ideal Nutrition. Available from: https://www.idealnutrition.com.au/the-lowdown-on-lactose-intolerance/ [Accessed 7 October]

National Health Service. (2019) Lactose Intolerance Overview. NHS. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lactose-intolerance/ [Accessed 8 October]

Savaiano DA, Boushey CJ, McCabe GP. Lactose intolerance symptoms assessed by meta-analysis: a grain of truth that leads to exaggeration. The Journal of nutrition. 2006;136(4):1107-13.

Suchita, S. (2022) Lactose Intolerance. Patient. Available from: https://patient.info/allergies-blood-immune/food-allergy-and-intolerance/lactose-intolerance [Accessed 8 October]