Lactase deficiency revelead
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What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance is a reaction in your digestive system to lactose, the sugar in milk. It causes uncomfortable symptoms after you eat dairy products. Many people have difficulty digesting lactose, but not everyone experiences noticeable symptoms from it. If you do, it's called lactose intolerance.
What is lactose malabsorption?
Lactose malabsorption is the inability to break down and absorb lactose molecules in your digestive system. It's common - in fact, about 65% of adults worldwide can't break down and absorb lactose. Unabsorbed lactose passes undigested through your gastrointestinal tract, causing symptoms for some people.
What is lactose malabsorption?
Lactose malabsorption is the inability to break down and absorb lactose molecules in your digestive system. It's common - in fact, about 65% of adults worldwide can't break down and absorb lactose. Unabsorbed lactose passes undigested through your gastrointestinal tract, causing symptoms for some people.
What's the difference between lactose malabsorption vs. lactose intolerance?
Everyone with lactose intolerance has lactose malabsorption, but not everyone with lactose malabsorption has lactose intolerance. One way of thinking about it is that malabsorption happens in your small intestine, while symptoms of food intolerance happen later in your large intestine.
Your small intestine is where most of the nutrients from your food are absorbed. Your small intestine breaks nutrients down into smaller molecules that can pass through the intestinal wall into your bloodstream. Everything that isn’t absorbed in your small intestine passes to your large intestine.
Undigested sugar molecules in your large intestine produce more water and more gas. They trigger your large intestine (colon) to secrete extra fluid to help pass them through. They produce gas when the bacteria in your colon ferment them. This can lead to digestive symptoms such as diarrhea and gas pain.
What are the signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance?
Signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance may include:
Bloated stomach
Intestinal
gas
Nausea and vomiting
Stomach pain and cramping
Stomach gurgling or rumbling
Diarrhea
These symptoms come from undigested lactose in your large intestine. It takes between six to 10 hours for food to reach your large intestine after you eat it, and another 24-36 hours after that to travel through your large intestine. So your symptoms might occur up to a day or two after you eat lactose.
What are the four types of lactose intolerance?
Primary
Secondary
Congenital
Developmental
Is lactose intolerance genetic?
Genes determine how likely you are to continue to produce lactase, the enzyme that helps you digest lactose. Genes may also partly affect your gut sensitivity and the types of bacteria you have in your gut. Some bacteria convert lactose into gas, but others convert it into lactic acid, which may not cause symptoms.
You're more likely to have lactose malabsorption and lactose intolerance if your genetic profile is:
- Asian.
- Native American.
- Hispanic.
You're more likely to have lactose persistence and lactose intolerance if your genetic profile is:
- Northern European.
- African.
- Middle Eastern.
Rarely, some people are born with congenital lactase deficiency. This is a genetic disorder that causes lactose intolerance from birth.
Can you develop lactose intolerance over time?
Most people develop lactose intolerance as they grow from childhood into adulthood. The most common type of lactose intolerance, primary lactose intolerance, happens because you gradually stop producing lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose. Your gut sensitivity can also change over time.
Can you suddenly become lactose intolerant if you weren’t before?
You can develop secondary lactose intolerance suddenly as a result of damage to your small intestine. Injury, surgery, infections, or chronic diseases may damage the cells that produce lactase. This can cause sudden lactose malabsorption and intolerance, even if you could previously digest lactose.
Secondary lactose intolerance may not be permanent. If your small intestine recovers its usual function, you may regain the ability to digest lactose.
How do you know if you’re lactose intolerance?
You might suspect you’re lactose intolerant if you notice a pattern of gastrointestinal symptoms after you eat dairy products. However, many people with lactase deficiency can tolerate some lactose, sometimes. If you’re not sure whether lactose is affecting you, visit a healthcare provider.
How do you test for lactose intolerance?
Healthcare providers have several ways of testing for lactose intolerance. Common tests include:
Hydrogen
breath test
A breath test measures the amount of hydrogen and methane gases in your breath when you
Blood
sugar test
If a breath test is inconclusive, a healthcare provider might suggest a blood glucose (blood sugar)
Stool
acidity test
Healthcare providers use this test for small children and infants. After feeding a child lactose, they’ll take
Can lactose intolerance go away?
Secondary lactose intolerance caused by damage to your small intestine might be reversible after your small intestine recovers. This will depend on how permanent the damage is. It may also take some time. Babies born prematurely who have developmental lactose intolerance usually grow out of it.
What happens if you ignore lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance won’t seriously harm you. If you can cope with the symptoms while the lactose passes through your digestive system, they’ll eventually end. However, you can easily avoid lactose intolerance symptoms with lactase supplements and lactose-free dairy products.
Are there any long-term consequences of lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance will affect your diet, which means you’ll have to pay attention to the nutrients you’re getting. If you avoid all dairy products, you could end up low in calcium and vitamin D. You can get these nutrients from other food sources, but dairy products are some of the most common ones.