Do you have lactose intolerance?

The 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 assimilate lactose - the sugar contained in milk.

How does lactose assimilation take place?

To get into the blood, lactose should split into the following components: glucose and galactose. This requires an enzyme called "lactase", which is produced in the small intestine. This is exactly what this enzyme is lacking for many adults after the infant age has come to an end . Lactose intolerance develops due to a lack of lactase. Imagine a person who drank milk or ate more dairy products than he can digest. Excess lactose under the influence of bacteria of the colon turns into carbon dioxide and into lactic acid. Half an hour later, typical signs appear that accompany lactose intolerance.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance

The patient feels discomfort and the following symptoms:

• Spasms
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Diarrhea

Those who do not know that they have lactose intolerance, trying to alleviate their condition, can drink more milk, thereby aggravating their situation.

To determine the degree of assimilation of lactose, in each individual case it is required to determine experimentally the amount of dairy products that will be absorbed by the body. You need to start with a small glass of milk, Watching for symptoms, next time you can gradually increase the dose.

Is not that allergic?

Symptoms of milk allergy and lactose intolerance are similar in some ways, but there are significant differences. Allergy is a reaction of the body's immune system, intolerance is a violation of the digestive process. Allergy causes a rash or swelling and manifests 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:

• candies;

• bread and bakery products;

• margarine;

• cakes and pastries;

• Many types of medicines;

• dry mashed potatoes;

• meat products;

• breakfast cereals;

• mixes for biscuits and pancakes;

• soups;

• sauces.

Some people decide to completely exclude dairy products from the diet, but in this case, you can cause a deficiency of calcium in the body. Therefore, for proper nutrition, use other foods containing much needed calcium: broccoli, spinach, cabbage, sesame, almonds, soft-boiled fish (salmon or sardine).

You can go on the path of incomplete rejection of dairy products, and try to control the amount of lactose. For example, aged cheeses contain less lactose than normal cheeses. And yogurts are easier to digest than milk, because microorganisms in yoghurts synthesize lactase, which helps to assimilate lactose.

With lactase deficiency in the analysis of the stool of a person suffering from lactose intolerance, a process can be observed when one factor is increased, a factor determining lactose-negative enterobacteria. Treatment is not required. These bacteria are involved in the process of digestion, live in the intestines and are considered conditionally pathogenic - their specific amount should not be more than 5%. If the indicator is increased, it can cause conditions similar to lactose intolerance.

For those suffering lactose intolerance, special preparations containing lactase are produced. They help to alleviate this condition.

Although the symptoms that cause lactose intolerance are unpleasant, they are usually not dangerous to health.