What causes lactose intolerance?

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What causes lactose intolerance?

Thanks for asking.

According to bupa.co.uk, around one in every ten older children and adults are thought to have lactose intolerance, and it's becoming a more common topic of discussion. Lactose intolerance might be thought of as a disease by some, but in fact, it's quite the opposite. It's actually a natural process which sees people's bodies produce less of an enzyme called lactase as they age. What's the difference between lactose and lactase then? So lactose is a natural sugar found in all mammalian milks, including cows, sheeps, mares, and even human breast milk. It's made up of galactose and glucose, two types of simple sugars.

Lactase, on the other hand, is an enzyme which breaks down these sugars in the intestines, allowing them to be absorbed into the bloodstream. When the body no longer produces enough lactase, lactose isn't properly absorbed.

Instead, it reaches the large intestine and ferments, a process which leads to the typical symptoms of lactose intolerance. According to the NHS website, the most common ones are stomach pain or discomfort, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, and feeling sick. Do lactose intolerant people have to stop consuming all dairy products then? Not necessarily, but they should definitely avoid products with high lactose content. So if you're lactose intolerant, you should skip milk or condensed milk, but you can still enjoy certain cheeses that are low in lactose, particularly aged ones. That's because the longer a cheese is aged, the lower its lactose content, as the lactose is converted into lactic acid by bacteria during the aging process. If your intolerance isn't too severe, you can get away with eating cheddar, parmesan or emmental, for example. Butter is also usually fine since it contains minimal lactose. On average, people with lactose intolerance can usually consume around 10 grams of lactose per day without getting symptoms. That's the equivalent of about 200 millilitres of milk. This allows for some dairy consumption at least, which is important for calcium intake. How can I find out if I have lactose intolerance? One way is through an elimination test. You cut out all dairy products for three days and see if your symptoms improve. If they do, lactose intolerance is a likely culprit. You can then ask your doctor for a hydrogen breath test to know for sure. Now, that involves consuming a certain amount of lactose on an empty stomach. You'll then have to breathe into a device every 30 minutes to measure your hydrogen levels. Normally, there shouldn't be any hydrogen in your breath at rest. If there is, it suggests that lactose isn't being properly digested, leading to fermentation and the production of excess hydrogen, which gets into your bloodstream and is eventually exhaled through the lungs. The higher the hydrogen levels in your breath, the more severe the lactase deficiency and consequently the stronger your intolerance. There you have it.

Now you know what causes lactose intolerance. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along, and you will really know for sure.