It’s common to develop a lactase deficiency in adulthood. In fact, about 65 percent of the global population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Show
Your genetic makeup has a lot to do with whether you'll experience lactose intolerance. The body creates lactase when it’s instructed to do so by the LCT gene, and over time that gene can become less active. The result is lactose intolerance, which can begin after age 2 but may not manifest itself until adolescence or even adulthood, Dr. Grand says. Some ethnic groups are more prone to developing lactose intolerance than others. According to the NIH, people of East Asian, West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian descent are the most commonly affected by lactose intolerance in adulthood. An injury to your small intestine — whether from an accident, surgery, radiation, infection, or disease — can also leave you unable to drink milk without symptoms, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Drinking poorly treated or untreated water can also cause injury to your bowel that could result in lactose intolerance, Grand adds. Digestive Problems Similar to Lactose IntoleranceBut don’t give milk the cold shoulder just yet — digestive discomfort can be caused by other conditions, especially as you get older. Some adults think they have lactose intolerance when they really have a different gastrointestinal issue, such as celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Grand says. The symptoms of lactose intolerance and these diseases, such as abdominal pain, gas, and diarrhea, can be similar. One difference between IBD and lactose intolerance is the presence of blood in your stool. You won’t see blood if you’re lactose intolerant, but it’s possible to see blood in your stool if you have IBD. Normal aging may make you more sensitive to digestive disturbances, such as feeling bloated after meals, Grand says. And eating certain foods that irritate the lining of the intestines or stimulate the gut to contract more quickly, such as caffeine or spicy foods, can mimic lactose intolerance symptoms. How to Determine if You're Lactose IntolerantA simple way to determine whether you've become lactose intolerant is to completely eliminate milk and milk products from your diet and monitor how you feel in the following weeks. “If you still have symptoms on a milk-restricted diet, you know it’s not the milk,” Grand says. A breath test can provide a more definitive diagnosis, according to the NIDDK. For this test, you'll drink a beverage with lactose and then breathe into a balloon-like container so that your hydrogen level can be measured. Under normal conditions, after consuming dairy, people will have only a small amount of hydrogen in their breath. If you’re lactose intolerant, you'll produce high levels of hydrogen. How to Manage Different Degrees of Lactose IntoleranceSome people who are lactose intolerant can still consume small amounts of milk or milk products and not feel ill, while others find their symptoms wax and wane from time to time and from food to food, Dr. Farhadi says. Hard cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss, contain less lactose than soft cheeses. Yogurt is also easier to digest than other forms of dairy. Taking lactase pills or drops, such as Lactaid or Dairy Ease, before you eat can also help manage symptoms. You can also look for lactose-free alternatives to milk and milk products in your grocery store. If you’re lactose intolerant and can’t consume any milk or milk products, Grand notes that it's important to talk with your doctor about whether or not you should take calcium and vitamin D supplements in order to avoid developing deficiencies. We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. Lactose intolerance is the inability to break down a type of natural sugar called lactose. Lactose is commonly found in dairy products, such as milk and yogurt. You become lactose intolerant when your small intestine stops making enough of the enzyme lactase to digest and break down the lactose. When this happens, the undigested lactose moves into the large intestine. The bacteria that are normally present in your large intestine interact with the undigested lactose and cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. The condition may also be called lactase deficiency. Lactose intolerance is very common in adults, particularly those with Asian, African, and Hispanic ancestry. According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 30 million American people are lactose intolerant. The condition isn’t serious but may be unpleasant. Lactose intolerance usually causes gastrointestinal symptoms, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea, about 30 minutes to two hours after ingesting milk or other dairy products containing lactose. People who are lactose intolerant may need to avoid eating these products or take medications containing the lactase enzyme before doing so. There are three main types of lactose intolerance, each with different causes: Primary lactose intolerance (normal result of aging)This is the most common type of lactose intolerance. Most people are born with enough lactase. Babies need the enzyme in order to digest their mother’s milk. The amount of lactase a person makes may decrease over time. This is because as people age, they eat a more diverse diet and rely less on milk. The decline in lactase is gradual. This type of lactose intolerance is more common in people with Asian, African, and Hispanic ancestry. Secondary lactose intolerance (due to illness or injury)Intestinal diseases such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a surgery, or an injury to your small intestine can also cause lactose intolerance. Lactase levels may be restored if the underlying disorder is treated. Congenital or developmental lactose intolerance (being born with the condition)In very rare cases, lactose intolerance is inherited. A defective gene can be transmitted from the parents to a child, resulting in the complete absence of lactase in the child. This is referred to as congenital lactose intolerance. In this case, your baby will be intolerant of breast milk. They will have diarrhea as soon as human milk or a formula containing lactose is introduced. If it’s not recognized and treated early on, the condition can be life-threatening. The diarrhea can cause dehydration and electrolyte loss. The condition can be treated easily by giving the baby a lactose-free infant formula instead of milk. Developmental lactose intoleranceOccasionally, a type of lactose intolerance called developmental lactose intolerance occurs when a baby is born prematurely. This is because lactase production in the baby begins later in the pregnancy, after at least 34 weeks. The symptoms of lactose intolerance typically occur between 30 minutes and two hours after eating or drinking a milk or dairy product. Symptoms may include:
The symptoms can range from mild to severe. The severity depends on how much lactose was consumed and how much lactase the person has actually made. If you’re experiencing cramps, bloating, and diarrhea after drinking milk or eating and drinking milk products, your doctor may want to test you for lactose intolerance. Confirmatory tests measure lactase activity in the body. These tests include: Lactose intolerance testA lactose intolerance test is a blood test that measures your body’s reaction to a liquid that contains high lactose levels. Hydrogen breath testA hydrogen breath test measures the amount of hydrogen in your breath after consuming a drink high in lactose. If your body is unable to digest the lactose, the bacteria in your intestine will break it down instead. The process by which bacteria break down sugars like lactose is called fermentation. Fermentation releases hydrogen and other gases. These gases are absorbed and eventually exhaled. If you aren’t fully digesting lactose, the hydrogen breath test will show a higher than normal amount of hydrogen in your breath. Stool acidity testThis test is more often done in infants and children. It measures the amount of lactic acid in a stool sample. Lactic acid accumulates when bacteria in the intestine ferment the undigested lactose. There’s currently no way to make your body produce more lactose. Treatment for lactose intolerance involves decreasing or completely removing milk products from the diet. Many people who are lactose intolerant can still have up to 1/2 cup of milk without experiencing any symptoms. Lactose-free milk products can also be found at most supermarkets. And not all dairy products contain a lot of lactose. You may still be able to eat some hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Swiss, and Parmesan, or cultured milk products like yogurt. Low-fat or nonfat milk products typically have less lactose as well. An over-the-counter lactase enzyme is available in capsule, pill, drops, or chewable form to take before consuming dairy products. The drops can also be added to a carton of milk. People who are lactose intolerant and not consuming milk or dairy products may become deficient in:
Taking calcium supplements or eating foods that are either naturally high in calcium or are calcium-fortified is recommended. Symptoms will go away if milk and milk products are removed from the diet. Read food labels carefully to detect ingredients that may contain lactose. Aside from milk and cream, look out for ingredients derived from milk, such as:
Many foods that you would not expect to contain milk may actually contain milk and lactose. Examples include:
Milk and milk products are often added to processed foods. Even some nondairy creamers and medications may contain milk products and lactose. Lactose intolerance cannot be prevented. The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be prevented by eating less dairy. Drinking low-fat or fat-free milk may also result in fewer symptoms. Try dairy milk alternatives such as:
Milk products with the lactose removed are also available. Can you become lactose intolerant by stopping drinking milk?Either way, when you stop drinking milk, you may lose your ability to digest it because your bacteria lose their ability. There is research to suggest that the bacteria in your gut can affect how well you tolerate lactose, and that the amount of dairy in your diet can affect these bacteria.
What happens if you stop drinking milk?Cutting out dairy means you get less B12, which is important within your immune system and helping your body fight off bacteria. Harju-Westman says you can combat this by taking a B12 supplement and eating foods fortified with the vitamin.
Can you all of a sudden become lactose intolerant?ANSWER: Lactose intolerance isn't a true allergy, and it can develop at any age. In some people, lactose intolerance may be triggered by another medical condition, such as Crohn's disease. In others, it develops without a specific underlying cause.
Does drinking milk everyday prevent lactose intolerance?People with lactose maldigestion [lactose intolerance] who include milk and other lactose-containing dairy foods in their diet may actually improve their tolerance to lactose.”
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If you stop drinking milk can you become lactose intolerant
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