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Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS]

Lactose intolerance

Specifically, lactose intolerance occurs in the small intestine, which is a hollow tube that extends from the stomach to the large intestine (colon).

People who are lactose intolerant cannot fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk and as a result, suffer from diarrhea and gas. Bloating after eating or drinking dairy products.

This condition, also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.

Usually, too little of an enzyme produced in your small intestine, lactase, is responsible for lactose intolerance.

You can also have low levels of lactase and still be able to digest dairy products, but if your levels are too low, you have lactose intolerance, which leads to lactose intolerance.

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

Symptoms appear after eating or drinking dairy products.

Primary lactose intolerance

Most people with lactose intolerance can manage the condition without having to give up all dairy. People who develop primary lactose intolerance, the most common type, start out producing enough lactase and get all their food from milk to lactase.

But when children replace milk with other foods, the amount of lactase they produce decreases naturally but remains high enough to digest the amount of milk in a diet and becomes typical of adults as well.

In primary lactose intolerance, lactase production may drop sharply at puberty, making dairy products difficult digestion.

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

Secondary lactose intolerance

This type of lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine reduces lactase production after illness, injury, or surgery and involves only the small intestine.

Diseases associated with secondary lactose intolerance also include intestinal infection, celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth, and Crohn’s disease. Lactase and signs and symptoms improve, although it may take time.

Congenital or developmental lactose intolerance

It is possible but rare as children can be born with lactose intolerance caused by lactase deficiency and then the disorder is passed from generation to generation in an inherited pattern called an autosomal recessive, which means that both the mother and father must pass on the same genetic variant Until the child is affected, children can also develop lactose intolerance due to an insufficient lactase level.

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

Symptoms of lactose intolerance

Signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance usually begin 30 minutes to two hours after eating or drinking foods that contain lactose. Common signs and symptoms include:

Diarrhea
Sometimes nausea and vomiting
stomach cramps
bloating
gases

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS]

When do you see a doctor?

Make an appointment with your doctor if you frequently have symptoms of lactose intolerance after eating dairy products, and especially if you’re concerned about not getting enough calcium.

Causes of lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine does not produce enough of the enzyme (lactase) to digest milk sugar (lactose).

From lactase deficiency, the lactose in your food may pass into the colon instead of being processed and absorbed.

In the colon, normal bacteria interact with the undigested lactose, causing the signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance. There are three types of lactose intolerance that cause a latent lactase deficiency. behind each type.

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

Risk factors for lactose intolerance

Factors that may make you or your child more likely to develop lactose intolerance include:

Age: Lactose intolerance usually appears in adulthood, but this condition is uncommon in infants and young children
Ethnicity: lactose intolerance is more common in people of African, Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian descent.
Premature delivery Babies born prematurely may have low levels of lactase because the small intestine does not produce lactase-producing cells until the late third trimester.
Diseases of the small intestine. Small intestine problems that can cause lactose intolerance may include bacterial overgrowth, celiac disease, and Crohn’s disease.
Certain cancer treatments If you’ve had radiation therapy for cancer in your stomach or have had intestinal complications from chemotherapy, your risk of developing lactose intolerance may increase.
Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

The difference between lactose intolerance or milk allergy

We will now explain the difference between milk allergy and lactose allergy. There is a lot of confusion about lactose intolerance and milk allergy.

The terms may sound similar, but they actually describe two different digestive problems, one of which is more severe than the other, where lactose intolerance results from not having enough of The enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose, the sugar found in milk and other dairy products

But a milk allergy is a true food allergy caused by an allergic reaction to the protein in milk, explains Dr. Amy Barto, MD, a gastroenterologist at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts.

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

“Lactose intolerance and milk allergy are two completely different entities” and can occur at any time of the day. life ”

Symptoms of lactose intolerance vs milk allergy

Dr. Amy Barto explains that lactose intolerance can be hereditary or can be caused by damage to the small intestine due to a viral or bacterial infection.

It is also fairly common and may occur more often in certain populations, says Dr. Amy Barto.

About 80 to 90 percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant and it is very common in Asians and Native Americans, but it is also important to remember that lactose intolerance increases with age and is very common in older adults.”

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

It is also estimated that 30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, and you will typically feel symptoms of lactose intolerance between 30 minutes and two hours after eating milk or a dairy product.

Symptoms may include the following:

stomach pain.
Gas and bloating
nausea
Diarrhea

Can lactose Intolerance Harm You? [FACTS] – Alienstips.com

Milk allergy usually refers to cow’s milk only, although you may also be allergic to other types of milk, including soy. Although milk allergy is more common in infants and children, it can develop at any age.

Milk allergy is the most common food allergy in children, affecting more than 2% of children under 3 years of age

A food allergy to milk can start within minutes or be delayed for several hours. Symptoms may include: