Lactose Intolerance
When most people think of morning foods, it does not take them long to think of cereal, a staple in the breakfast community. Cereal is a million dollar industry. One can easily see the popularity and importance of cereal in any grocery. There is normally an entire row or aisle devoted simply to this morning meal. Teamed with milk, cereal also provides a large part of a person’s daily nutrient intake. Since cereal is dependant on milk for lubrication, milk is one of the most popular fluids at breakfast, but there are people who are not able to digest milk. These people, are "lactose intolerant".
Lactose intolerance is a condition where the body has difficulty digesting dairy products. Lactose is a milk sugar and like most sugars, it is broken down by enzymes in the intestinal tract so that it can be absorbed as an energy source. The enzyme that is responsible for breaking down lactose, is called lactase. This enzyme is produced in the intestinal tract where it does most of it’s work. Lactase breaks the sugar down into its basic elements, or basic sugars. Glucose, which is the most basic sugar, is created and then absorbed into the bloodstream.
For Glucose to be converted from Lactose, there needs to be a certain amount of lactase. A person, however, might have a different level of lactase production than another. This is the independent variable that regulates how much dairy products a person can consume. For example, one person might be able to drink two glasses of milk before symptoms appear, while another may only be able to have a lick of ice cream. While the conception of lactose intolerance is still not mapped out, there are a few known causes. Certain digestive diseases and injuries to the small intestine can cause a severe cutback in the production of lactase. The main cause of lactose intolerance, anyhow, can be traced to infancy. Since infants are breast-fed, or given a formula, they deal with a larger dairy intake, but once they have grown past the infant stage, around two years old, the body begins to decrease in lactase production. When there is a decrease, the lactose begins to ferment in the intestine. The perfect conditions are found in the intestinal tract, and the fermentation process leads to the creation of gases, mainly methane. These gases can build up and cause pain or aggressive flatulence. Other symptoms of lactose intolerance are, nausea, cramps, bloating gas, and wind diarrhea, which could begin from after half an hour to two hours after consuming dairy foods. Also, people who suffer from a lactase deficiency, may suffer from weight loss or malnutrition. While there is no cure to fully prevent these symptoms, or to increase the amount of lactase produced, there are preventions. Children with a lactase deficiency should not consume any foods containing lactose. As they get older, they can begin to experiment with different foods and different amounts, until they find their limits. This is a trial and error method, but it is also the best learning process. By buying lactose-free foods, one can also cut back on their lactose intake. One can find many non-dairy types of products such as special butters, yogurt, creams, and other substitute dairy products, such as rice milk or soya milk. Soya milk, which one can buy sweetened or unsweetened, includes all of the prominent nutrients found in regular milk, such as calcium. While purchasing lactose-free foods, be sure to check for hidden lactose, or symptoms might occur anyway, such as light cream, which contains whey solids, and butter oil, which contains skim milk powder. To compensate for the reduced intake of certain nutrients from dairy products, a person can find their daily lactose requirements in other foods such as sardines, watercress, figs, rhubarb, almonds, and other nuts. Fresh fruit and vegetables can also help replenish lost vitamins and minerals
With the abundance of diary products, many people have found taking lactase enzymes as a helpful way to manage their lactose intolerance. By simply adding a few drops with milk, or by taking a small capsule before a meal, the body is given all the necessary enzymes to convert the lactose to glucose. Some different types of lactase enzymes are Lactase, which are drops that can be added to milk, and Prolactazyme, a capsule which can also aid in the digestion of other foods.
Lactose intolerance is a very common disorder, since everyone over the age of two is susceptible, and can be easily ignored. The first step to checking for lactose intolerance would be to see if a person gets gassy as soon as they have dairy products. This can start within a few minutes and can be a strong signal for lactose deficiency. Many people suffer from the tell-tale symptoms, unaware to their physical condition. This is mainly because most people do not attribute sickness, and gas, mainly, with dairy products, and milk in particular. Milk is known to be the liquid that was supplied after birth, as a foundation for nourishment. Milk is also full of nutrients and proteins required by the body, this makes it very hard for people to treat milk as a possible allergenic. Once problem with milk and it’s unknown properties, happens after pregnancy. When parents feed their children, either breast-fed or formula, there is a chance that the baby may not be able to produce enough lactase. This can cause the lactose to ferment in the bowels, causing the formation of gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide. These gases can then build up, and case the baby’s intestines to inflate The baby then cries in an uninformative manner, and the parents assume something else. They then continue to feed the baby more lactose. Doctors advise that a supplement should be given to see if the reason for the baby’s crying, does happen to be colic. This is only evidence that lactose intolerance is present at all stages of life, and in all races of life. Some races, however, have an easier chance of developing a lactose deficiency. 80-95% of all blacks and orientals are susceptible to lactose intolerance. About 50% of all Mediterranean are affected, while only 15% of Northern Europeans are affected. This is most likely attributed to the prominence of dairy products throughout the globe. Since dairy products are more abundant in Europe and North America, the body, over time, has adapted to the lactose, and has increased the body’s daily lactase production, simply through evolution.
While lactose intolerance can be easily found all over the world, it is not contagious, despite some beliefs. This disorder cannot be transmitted from a person to another person through any medium. It can however, be hereditary, much like a milk allergy, which is the body’s inability to realize that milk proteins are harmless to the body. Milk allergies and lactose intolerance are quite easy to tell apart, due to milk allergies quick reaction time, about 2 minutes before symptoms occur.
A deficiency can be caused by one of two factors. One is through some form of congenital contraction, such as heredity. This type of deficiency can sometimes lay dormant until later, most likely around twenty years old, and can sometimes be referred to as primary hypolactasy of the adult. The second factor is a temporary one, due to either a state of deterioration or injury. It can last approximately one week after recovery , or longer depending on the injury or maladies. This is known as the secondary deficiency of the adult. Young babies and small children, who are suffering from a gastro-intestinal infection or from malnutrition are particularly vulnerable to this type of disorder. This disorder can also be caused by a coeliac disease, an allergy to cow’s milk, by gastro-intestinal surgery, or from the use of certain drugs.
Lactose intolerance is a condition where the body has difficulty digesting dairy products. Lactose is a milk sugar and like most sugars, it is broken down by enzymes in the intestinal tract so that it can be absorbed as an energy source. The enzyme that is responsible for breaking down lactose, is called lactase. This enzyme is produced in the intestinal tract where it does most of it’s work. Lactase breaks the sugar down into its basic elements, or basic sugars. Glucose, which is the most basic sugar, is created and then absorbed into the bloodstream.
For Glucose to be converted from Lactose, there needs to be a certain amount of lactase. A person, however, might have a different level of lactase production than another. This is the independent variable that regulates how much dairy products a person can consume. For example, one person might be able to drink two glasses of milk before symptoms appear, while another may only be able to have a lick of ice cream. While the conception of lactose intolerance is still not mapped out, there are a few known causes. Certain digestive diseases and injuries to the small intestine can cause a severe cutback in the production of lactase. The main cause of lactose intolerance, anyhow, can be traced to infancy. Since infants are breast-fed, or given a formula, they deal with a larger dairy intake, but once they have grown past the infant stage, around two years old, the body begins to decrease in lactase production. When there is a decrease, the lactose begins to ferment in the intestine. The perfect conditions are found in the intestinal tract, and the fermentation process leads to the creation of gases, mainly methane. These gases can build up and cause pain or aggressive flatulence. Other symptoms of lactose intolerance are, nausea, cramps, bloating gas, and wind diarrhea, which could begin from after half an hour to two hours after consuming dairy foods. Also, people who suffer from a lactase deficiency, may suffer from weight loss or malnutrition. While there is no cure to fully prevent these symptoms, or to increase the amount of lactase produced, there are preventions. Children with a lactase deficiency should not consume any foods containing lactose. As they get older, they can begin to experiment with different foods and different amounts, until they find their limits. This is a trial and error method, but it is also the best learning process. By buying lactose-free foods, one can also cut back on their lactose intake. One can find many non-dairy types of products such as special butters, yogurt, creams, and other substitute dairy products, such as rice milk or soya milk. Soya milk, which one can buy sweetened or unsweetened, includes all of the prominent nutrients found in regular milk, such as calcium. While purchasing lactose-free foods, be sure to check for hidden lactose, or symptoms might occur anyway, such as light cream, which contains whey solids, and butter oil, which contains skim milk powder. To compensate for the reduced intake of certain nutrients from dairy products, a person can find their daily lactose requirements in other foods such as sardines, watercress, figs, rhubarb, almonds, and other nuts. Fresh fruit and vegetables can also help replenish lost vitamins and minerals
With the abundance of diary products, many people have found taking lactase enzymes as a helpful way to manage their lactose intolerance. By simply adding a few drops with milk, or by taking a small capsule before a meal, the body is given all the necessary enzymes to convert the lactose to glucose. Some different types of lactase enzymes are Lactase, which are drops that can be added to milk, and Prolactazyme, a capsule which can also aid in the digestion of other foods.
Lactose intolerance is a very common disorder, since everyone over the age of two is susceptible, and can be easily ignored. The first step to checking for lactose intolerance would be to see if a person gets gassy as soon as they have dairy products. This can start within a few minutes and can be a strong signal for lactose deficiency. Many people suffer from the tell-tale symptoms, unaware to their physical condition. This is mainly because most people do not attribute sickness, and gas, mainly, with dairy products, and milk in particular. Milk is known to be the liquid that was supplied after birth, as a foundation for nourishment. Milk is also full of nutrients and proteins required by the body, this makes it very hard for people to treat milk as a possible allergenic. Once problem with milk and it’s unknown properties, happens after pregnancy. When parents feed their children, either breast-fed or formula, there is a chance that the baby may not be able to produce enough lactase. This can cause the lactose to ferment in the bowels, causing the formation of gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide. These gases can then build up, and case the baby’s intestines to inflate The baby then cries in an uninformative manner, and the parents assume something else. They then continue to feed the baby more lactose. Doctors advise that a supplement should be given to see if the reason for the baby’s crying, does happen to be colic. This is only evidence that lactose intolerance is present at all stages of life, and in all races of life. Some races, however, have an easier chance of developing a lactose deficiency. 80-95% of all blacks and orientals are susceptible to lactose intolerance. About 50% of all Mediterranean are affected, while only 15% of Northern Europeans are affected. This is most likely attributed to the prominence of dairy products throughout the globe. Since dairy products are more abundant in Europe and North America, the body, over time, has adapted to the lactose, and has increased the body’s daily lactase production, simply through evolution.
While lactose intolerance can be easily found all over the world, it is not contagious, despite some beliefs. This disorder cannot be transmitted from a person to another person through any medium. It can however, be hereditary, much like a milk allergy, which is the body’s inability to realize that milk proteins are harmless to the body. Milk allergies and lactose intolerance are quite easy to tell apart, due to milk allergies quick reaction time, about 2 minutes before symptoms occur.
A deficiency can be caused by one of two factors. One is through some form of congenital contraction, such as heredity. This type of deficiency can sometimes lay dormant until later, most likely around twenty years old, and can sometimes be referred to as primary hypolactasy of the adult. The second factor is a temporary one, due to either a state of deterioration or injury. It can last approximately one week after recovery , or longer depending on the injury or maladies. This is known as the secondary deficiency of the adult. Young babies and small children, who are suffering from a gastro-intestinal infection or from malnutrition are particularly vulnerable to this type of disorder. This disorder can also be caused by a coeliac disease, an allergy to cow’s milk, by gastro-intestinal surgery, or from the use of certain drugs.
posted by Phantom at 11:30 PM
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