Lactose Intolerance
11:56 AM
What Is Lactose Intolerance
and What Causes It?
Lactose intolerance is the
inability to digest a sugar called lactose that is
found in milk and dairy products.
Normally when a person eats
something containing lactose, an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase breaks
down lactose into simpler sugar forms called glucose and galactose. These
simple sugars are then easily absorbed into the bloodstream and turned into
energy — fuel for our bodies.
People
with lactose intolerance do not produce enough of the lactase enzyme to break
down lactose. Instead, undigested lactose sits in the gut and gets broken down
by bacteria, causing gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
How Do
Doctors Diagnose It?
If your doctor suspects you might be
lactose intolerant, he or she will take your medical history by asking about any concerns and
symptoms you have, your past health, your family's health, any medications
you're taking, any allergies you may have, and other issues. Your doctor will
also perform a physical examination.
Doctors can test for lactose intolerance by using the hydrogen
breath test. Normally very little hydrogen gas is detectable in the breath.
However, undigested lactose in the colon ferments (breaks down) and produces
various gases, including hydrogen.
If your doctor decides to give you a hydrogen breath test, you'll
be asked to blow into a tube for a beginning sample. You'll then swallow a
drink with lactose in it, wait a while, and breathe into the tube again. You'll
be asked to blow into the tube every half hour for 2 hours in order to measure
hydrogen levels in your breath. The levels should go up over time if you have
lactose intolerance.
Doctors also can find out if you're able to
digest lactose by testing for the presence of lactase with an endoscopy. During this procedure, doctors view the inside
of the intestines by inserting a long tube with a light and a tiny camera on
the end into the mouth.
A doctor can then take tissue samples and pictures of the inside
of your gut and look for clues to why you've been having problems with what
you're eating. The amount of lactase enzyme can be measured in one of these
tissue samples.
Living With Lactose
Intolerance
Lactose
intolerance is a very individual condition and it's often easy to manage if
you're in tune with your body. Everyone's different, but most people with
lactose intolerance are able to eat a small amount of dairy. The trick is to
eat dairy products in combination with other foods that don't contain lactose
and not eat too much dairy at once. It can also help to keep a food diary to
learn which foods your body can or can't tolerate.
Dairy
foods are the best source of calcium, a mineral that's important for bone
growth. Because growing teens need about 1,300 milligrams (mg) of calcium each
day, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that even teens who
have lactose intolerance continue to include some dairy in their diet.
Foods
like cheese or yogurt may be easier to digest than milk, so try a cup of yogurt
for dessert or add a piece of cheese to your sandwich. Lactose-free milk is
also a great way to get calcium in your diet without the problems that can come
with lactose.
Taking a
lactase enzyme supplement might help, too. Taking this before eating foods that
contain dairy will help the body digest the lactose sugar in dairy so you don't
develop the symptoms of lactose intolerance, like pain, cramping, bloating,
gas, and diarrhea.
Teens
with the most severe symptoms of lactose intolerance might have to avoid all
dairy products. It's extra important that these teens find other good calcium
sources, so talking to a registered dietitian is a good idea. Dietitians are
trained in nutrition and they can help people who are lactose intolerant come up
with eating alternatives and develop a well-balanced diet that provides lots of
calcium for developing strong bones.
Here are
some tips for dealing with lactose intolerance:
·
Choose lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk.
·
Take a lactase enzyme supplement (such as Lactaid) just before you
eat dairy products. These can be taken in drops or tablets and even added
directly to milk.
·
When you do drink milk or eat lactose-containing foods, eat other
non-lactose foods at the same meal to slow digestion and avoid problems. (For
example, if you are going to have a milkshake, don't drink it by itself. Have
something else with it, like a healthy sandwich.)
·
Drink juices that are fortified with calcium.
·
Eat a variety of dairy-free foods that are rich in calcium, such
as broccoli, beans, tofu, or soy milk. Consider hard cheeses such as cheddar,
which are lower in lactose.
·
Yogurts that contain active cultures are easier to digest and much
less likely to cause lactose problems.
·
Learn to read food labels. Lactose is added to some boxed, canned,
frozen, and prepared foods like bread, cereal, lunchmeats, salad dressings,
mixes for cakes and cookies, and coffee creamers. Be aware of certain words
that may mean the food has lactose in it: butter, cheese, cream, dried milk,
milk solids, powdered milk, and whey, for example.
Excerpts
taken from “Lactose Intolerance” Reviewed by J. Fernando del Rosario, MD. To
read the full article and more on this topic visit http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/lactose_intolerance.html#
Best
Teen Diets Recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer
nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasize the
importance of healthy eating for teens. For more visit www.bestteendiets.org
1 comments
A cartoon for you!
ReplyDeletehttp://pastexpiry.blogspot.ca/2012/11/cartoon-lactose-intolerance.html