Are You One Of The Lactose Intolerant People?

In the United States, millions of people experience lactose intolerance. By lactose intolerance, we refer specifically to a condition that prevents a person from fully digesting lactose. Lactose is a special sugar that is found in cow's milk, goat's milk, etc. Lactose can also be found in milk-derived food products such as cheese and bread. Anything that was prepared with dairy products such as butter and cream will have some lactose content, even if it's just a little.

Why does this occur? This intolerance occurs when a person is no longer able to produce sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase. Lactase breaks down the components of lactose and enables the body to absorb both of its components, galactose and glucose.

Glucose is a type of sugar that can easily be utilized by the body. Galactose on the other hand, is the indigestible component of lactose that is separated by the enzyme lactase and is excreted by the digestive system. Not everyone develops lactose intolerance. In fact, many Americans in their golden years are still happily enjoying milk and dairy products.


These lucky folks would never have to deal with the severe symptoms. For those who are lactose intolerant, the world changes. A person can experience cramps and bloating after drinking a glass of milk. A person with this can also experience diarrhea as the body tries to digest an indigestible component of milk.

The term "lactose intolerance" is so frequently bannered across media outlets and on the Internet that it's sometimes confusing which story to believe.

Is it a disease? Can it be passed on from generation to generation? What about infants who develop lactose intolerance? Let us try to debunk some myths by presenting you with facts about this condition – without the hype and advertising.

It's not enough to have lactase in the body to avoid lactose intolerance. If you are a big dairy eater, you need a continuous supply of lactase in your GI tract so your body can continue digesting all that lactose. If you think you can still digest some lactose, there is no need to buy lactase supplements. Just limit your dairy items from time to time so your body can efficiently digest the lactose component of the food items you are consuming.
Don't be surprised that you are experiencing it now, because this condition is very common in adults. One theory is that the body senses that it no longer needs milk to survive – and so lactase production ceases. From the point of view of biology, this is correct because people can happily live off grains, plant food, and meat. We really don't need milk and dairy products anymore once we enter adulthood.
There are two groups of lactose-intolerant people. The first group can still eat small amounts of dairy. That means a person from this group can probably drink a glass of full cream milk without experiencing severe symptoms of lactose intolerance. The second group, on the other hand, is composed of people who are unable to digest any level of lactose in their food.