Lactose Intolerance Condition

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Lactose intolerance is the condition when the body does not have an ability to digest lactose. Lactose is a sugar that usually found in milk and other milk products. People who suffer from lactase intolerance don�t have sufficient in lactase, an enzyme breaks down the natural sugar found in milk. Without a sufficient lactase, a person usually has symptoms of gas or diarrhea and inflammation when they eat lactose products.

Lactose intolerance is not a food allergy, it is a food sensitivity. So you don�t have to give up dairy products totally. Food allergy especially in milk is the immune system response to proteins that contain in milk. Milk allergy generally happens in early life, while Lactose intolerance happens usually in adulthood. The insufficiency in lactase is frequently started in age 3. The children who have lactose intolerance don�t have any symptoms of lactose intolerance until they are adult.

The result of studies shows that lactase deficiency is related to genetic. Parents who lactose intolerant may inherit a lactase deficiency gene to their children. However lactose intolerance may happen at any age commonly in childhood when a person gets his intestine injured cause by the terrible diarrhea or other disease.

An adult has more risk for lactose intolerance. Some ethnic such as Hispanic American, Asian Americans, African America also have more risk. The children born prematurely are more possibility to have lactose intolerance because since the third semester of pregnancy, the lactase levels do not increase.

Symptoms generally occurs to people with lactose intolerance after consuming milk �and other milk products are diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain and bloating. It is a bit hard to identify someone suffers from lactose intolerance only by the digestive symptoms.

With a little diet adjustment, the symptoms of lactose intolerance can be reduced. Some people with lactose intolerance can accept some amount of lactose in their body.

Beginning to consume small amounts of milk or other milk products or combine with other meals may help some lactose intolerant familiar with milk products and gradually adapt to them with fewer symptoms.

Some people can begin with consume lower level of lactose products including yogurt, soy milk and hard cheese or lactose free milk. Lactose free milk may have a little sweeter taste than regular milk.

If people still have the symptoms after diet adjustment, lactose intolerant can take the lactase enzyme tablets or drops. The tablet or the liquid enzyme make the milk products more tolerable for people who lactose intolerance.

As we know, milk is a main source of calcium and other nutrients. Calcium is absolutely needed for children and adults for the growth and repair of bones. A shortage of calcium �in long term period may lead to the osteoporosis.

For people suffer from lactose intolerance with the limitation of ingestion of milk and milk products, getting enough calcium is an essential thing. Otherwise, many foods have high calcium such as salmon, sardines or green vegetables.

Other product like yogurt may be a good alternative. Yogurt with active and live bacterial cultures is a good source of calcium. The bacterial cultures convert lactose to lactic acid. Yogurt with live cultures �may be more tolerable for lactose intolerance than yogurt without live cultures like frozen yogurt.

Lactose Free Yogurt

Lactose intolerance

Lactose Intolerance Condition

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