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Lactose intolerance
Lactose intoleranceLactose, present in milk, is degraded by the lactase enzyme in the small intestine. The amount of this enzyme is at its peak at birth and gradually decreases with age; thus, the ability to degrade lactose also decreases. Undigested lactose is responsible for a wide range of digestive problems such as increase of free water content, rapid intestinal transit, and development of hydrogen. Lactose intolerance is in fact an evolutionarily archaic form because adult mammals do not have to digest lactose. Based on national data, approximately 35-40% of the Hungarian adult population is sensitive to lactose to some extent. However, a significant portion of the people can consume milk products throughout their life; members of northern European populations or of northwest areas of India still have a sufficient amount of lactase activity as adults. The reason of this is the presence of variants in two locations of the lactase gene, which influences the elimination of enzyme production. The significant variability between different populations can be accounted for by the different milk consumption habits. In people with lactose intolerance, typical symptoms develop following milk consumption (diarrhoea, stomach cramps and pains, flatulence, feeling sick), which cease or can be relieved by introducing a lactose-free diet.
We recommend testing lactose intolerance:
- in babies; they may have congenital lactose intolerance, which inhibits the degradation of even breast milk. It is essential to distinguish lactose intolerance from milk protein sensitivity in order to select appropriate nutrition.
- in those individuals who have digestive problems following milk or dairy product consumption.
- in those individuals who have a lactose-intolerant family member (since lactose intolerance is genetically determined).
- in those individuals who have digestive problems characteristic of lactose intolerance even without dairy product consumption. Hidden lactose present in processed food can cause problems in sensitive individuals.
Early diagnosis is important because:
- besides causing unpleasant symptoms, lactose consumption continuously damages the absorptive surface of the small intestine
- other nutrients cannot be absorbed either, leading to their deficiency.
- in the long run, severe, irreversible diseases may develop (e.g. osteoporosis) due to the extensive damage in the absorptive surface of the small intestine.
- lactose-degrading bacteria create an acidic environment, which is associated with malignant tumours of the large intestine.