Lactose Intolerance

Excerpt

Lactose intolerance is a clinical syndrome that manifests with characteristic signs and symptoms upon consuming food substances containing lactose, a disaccharide. Normally upon lactose consumption, it is hydrolyzed into glucose and galactose by the lactase enzyme, which is found in the small intestinal brush border. Deficiency of lactase due to primary or secondary causes results in clinical symptoms. Disease severity varies among individuals. Lactose is present in dairy, milk products, and mammalian milk. It is also sometimes referred to as lactose malabsorption.

Lactase deficiency is the commonest type of disaccharidase deficiency. Enzyme levels are at the peak shortly after birth and decline after that, despite continued lactose intake. Among the animal world, nonhuman mammals generally lose their ability to digest lactose into its components as they reach adulthood. Certain populations of the human species, such as those of South American, Asian, and African descent, tend to develop lactase deficiency. On the contrary, people of northern Europe origin or northwestern India usually retain the ability to digest lactose into adulthood.

Lactose intolerance presents with abdominal bloating and pain, loose stools, nausea, flatulence, and borborygmi. Many people start avoiding milk as soon as a diagnosis is made, or even the suggestion of lactose intolerance is put forward. This leads to consuming specially prepared products with digestive aids, adding to the health care burden.