These simple tests check to see if you are digesting lactose normally. There is no cure for lactose intolerance. But you can treat your symptoms by limiting or avoiding milk products. Some people use milk with reduced lactose, or they substitute soy beverage and soy cheese for milk and milk products. Some people who are lactose-intolerant can eat yogurt without problems, especially yogurt with live cultures. You can also take dietary supplements called lactase products that help digest lactose.
In time, most people who have lactose intolerance get to know their bodies well enough to avoid symptoms. One of the biggest concerns for people who are lactose-intolerant is making sure they get enough of the nutrients found in milk products, especially calcium. Calcium is most important for children, teens, pregnant women, and women after menopause. There are many non-dairy foods that contain calcium, including:. Symptoms of lactose intolerance can be mild or severe, depending on how much lactase your body makes.
Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking milk or milk products. Many people think they are lactose-intolerant, because the symptoms of lactose intolerance are very common symptoms. Symptoms of the most common type of lactose intolerance—adult lactose intolerance—often start during the teen or adult years and continue for life.
Symptoms of acquired lactose intolerance last as long as the small intestine does not make lactase. Symptoms in newborns include severe foamy diarrhea, diaper rash, vomiting, dehydration , weakness and irritability, and slow weight gain. Lactose intolerance is not the same thing as a food allergy to milk. Symptoms of a milk allergy are usually more severe than those from lactose intolerance. People who have a milk allergy cannot eat or drink any milk products.
For more information, see the topic Food Allergies. If you think you might have lactose intolerance, talk it over with your doctor. Your doctor can make sure that your symptoms are caused by lactose intolerance and not by another problem. Other conditions can cause symptoms similar to those of lactose intolerance, including irritable bowel syndrome , inflammatory bowel disease , overuse of laxatives, and problems digesting foods that contain fructose and sorbitol.
If your doctor thinks you have lactose intolerance, he or she will ask questions about your medical history and do a physical examination. Before making a diagnosis, your doctor may ask that you avoid dairy products for a short time to see if your symptoms improve.
You may also be asked to bring in a sample of your stool. The stool of a person who has lactose intolerance is usually loose or watery. It also can be foamy. To confirm a diagnosis, your doctor may order a:.
If you think you have lactose intolerance, it is a good idea to talk it over with your doctor. Your doctor can make sure that your symptoms are caused by lactose intolerance and not by another problem such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, overuse of laxatives, or problems digesting foods that contain fructose or sorbitol. Your doctor can also make sure that your lactose intolerance is not related to another health problem.
After being diagnosed with lactose intolerance, you may feel relieved to find out what has been causing your symptoms. You may also feel frustrated by having to deal with this condition for the rest of your life.
You may find it reassuring to know that there are many people who have lactose intolerance. Most can avoid discomfort and still eat or drink some milk products throughout the day.
There are different ways to live with lactose intolerance. What works for one person may not work for another. Because there is no cure for lactose intolerance, controlling your symptoms is mostly up to you. The following tips can help you prevent symptoms of lactose intolerance. Limit the amount of milk and milk products in your diet. Most people can have about 10 g of lactose each day. This can be a glass of whole, low-fat, or skim milk, for example. All milk contains the same amount of lactose.
Other milk products contain different amounts of lactose:. Foods with less lactose, such as Swiss or cheddar cheese, may not cause problems. If you are not sure whether a milk product causes symptoms, try a small amount and wait to see how you feel before you eat or drink more. Because of the aforementioned lactose-is-everywhere problem OK, it's not, but it's certainly in places you might not expect , if you've tried an elimination diet on your own before — taking out everything with dairy involved — and not had much success, it may not have been a proper scientific test.
If you're on the severe end, hidden lactose packs more of a kick, and it'll be difficult to do an elimination-diet test without nutritional supervision. If you don't want to deal with an elimination diet, there's a much simpler test available to you for diagnosis: the hydrogen breath test , which will be done by your GP.
You'll be asked to avoid any lactose for a few weeks, then drink something heavily dairy-laden and have the amount of hydrogen on your breath measured immediately afterwards. Lactose that isn't being properly digested in the colon ferments instead, and produces high hydrogen levels that emerge in the breath.
If you've got more hydrogen in you than the Hindenburg, we may have a culprit. Your genetics, and specifically your ethnic background, may play a very big role in your risk of lactose intolerance.
Up to 80 percent of Hispanic communities may have it, while a survey of the phenomenon in ethnic groups around the world found huge diversity across different bits of the world : between 90 and percent of people of East Asian descent had lactose intolerance, and it was nearly as dominant among Native Americans, Central Asians, and people of African ancestry. In the Ashkenazi Jewish community, your likelihood hovers at around 60 to 80 percent. Even if you've never considered yourself a candidate, the fact of your ancestry may mean you're more vulnerable, or have more of a sensitivity than you realize.
These days, being lactose-intolerant isn't the end of the world. Read food labels carefully to detect ingredients that may contain lactose. Aside from milk and cream, look out for ingredients derived from milk, such as:. Many foods that you would not expect to contain milk may actually contain milk and lactose. Examples include:. Milk and milk products are often added to processed foods.
Even some nondairy creamers and medications may contain milk products and lactose. Lactose intolerance cannot be prevented. The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be prevented by eating less dairy. Drinking low-fat or fat-free milk may also result in fewer symptoms. Try dairy milk alternatives such as:. This article examines the health effects of dairy products, which seem to vary greatly between individuals.
Many people are intolerant to dairy. Some people can't tolerate dairy or choose not to eat it for other reasons. This article lists substitutes for 7 common dairy foods. Cooking without dairy ingredients can be tricky. Here are 21 dairy-free desserts to choose from, featuring…. Vegan cheeses are made from various plant-based ingredients and come in many styles and flavors. This article explores some of the best dairy-free…. IBS is a disorder of bowel function whereas lactose intolerance is related to an enzyme needed to digest dairy.
A lactose tolerance test measures how well your body can process lactose, a type of sugar found in dairy products, using the enzyme lactase.
Do the symptoms of lactose intolerance have a typical expiration date? Yes and no. Here's what you can expect to happen with your bloating, pain, and…. This breaks down lactose into 2 sugars called glucose and galactose, which can be easily absorbed into the bloodstream. People with lactose intolerance do not produce enough lactase, so lactose stays in the digestive system, where it's fermented by bacteria. This leads to the production of various gases, which cause the symptoms associated with lactose intolerance.
Depending on the underlying reason why the body's not producing enough lactase, lactose intolerance may be temporary or permanent. Most cases that develop in adults are inherited and tend to be lifelong, but cases in young children are often caused by an infection in the digestive system and may only last for a few weeks.
Lactose intolerance can develop at any age. Many cases first develop in people aged 20 to 40, although babies and young children can also be affected. Lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk or dairy allergy. Food allergies are caused by your immune system reacting to a certain type of food. This causes symptoms such as a rash, wheezing and itching.
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