Lactose Intolerance
What I need to know about Lactose Intolerance
- What is lactose intolerance?
- Who gets lactose intolerance?
- What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?
- How is lactose intolerance diagnosed?
- What should I do if I think my child is lactose intolerant?
- How is lactose intolerance managed?
- How will I know if a food has lactose?
- How will I get the calcium I need?
- Points to Remember
- Hope through Research
- For More Information
What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance means you have trouble digesting lactose. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and foods made with milk. The small intestine needslactase enzyme to break down lactose. With lactose intolerance, you may not feel well when you eat or drink something with lactose because you don’t have enough lactase enzyme.
Who gets lactose intolerance?
Many people have problems digesting lactose. Some people become lactose intolerant as children. In others, the problem starts when they are teenagers or adults. Lactose intolerance is rare in babies. Premature babies may be lactose intolerant for a short time after they are born.
Lactose intolerance is common in certain areas of the world. Certain groups are more likely to be lactose intolerant:
- Asian Americans
- African Americans
- American Indians
- Hispanics/Latinos
- people with southern European heritage
People of northern European descent are least likely to be lactose intolerant.
If your small intestine has been damaged, it may produce less lactase enzyme, causing you to become lactose intolerant. The small intestine can be hurt by:
- diseases such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease
- infections
- surgery
- injuries
What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?
If you have lactose intolerance, you may not feel well after you eat or drink milk and milk products.
You may also have:
- cramps or pain in your abdomen, the area between your chest and hips
- bloating or swelling in your abdomen
- gas
- diarrhea
- nausea
Some illnesses can cause these same symptoms. If you have these symptoms after you eat or drink milk and milk products, see your doctor.
How is lactose intolerance diagnosed?
To find out if you have lactose intolerance, your doctor will ask about your symptoms. The doctor may ask you to stop eating or drinking milk and milk products to see if your symptoms improve.
Your doctor might perform other tests to confirm your diagnosis:
- Breath tests. You will drink a sweet drink with lactose in it. Then your breath is tested to see if you were able to digest the lactose.
- Stool test. Your stool can be tested to see if you digest lactose. Stool is the waste that passes through the rectum as bowel movements. The stool test is often used to check babies for lactose intolerance.