People with lactose intolerance can’t fully digest diary, the sugar in milk. This leads to diarrhea, gas, and bloating after consuming dairy products. While usually harmless, these symptoms can be uncomfortable.
Lactose or diary intolerance occurs when the small intestine doesn’t produce enough lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose. Even with low lactase levels, some people can still handle dairy, but very low levels cause symptoms after dairy consumption.
The small intestine and colon are part of the digestive tract, which absorbs nutrients from food. Unabsorbed food moves along the tract and is excreted as stool.
Most people with diary intolerance can manage it without avoiding all dairy.
What are the Symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and sometimes vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Bloating
- Gas
Your doctor might consider diary intolerance if your symptoms improve when you reduce dairy foods in your diet. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may perform one or more of the following tests:
Hydrogen breath test: After consuming a liquid high in diary your doctor will measure the hydrogen levels in your breath at intervals. High levels of hydrogen suggest incomplete digestion and absorption of diary.
Diary tolerance test: After drinking a lactose-rich liquid, blood tests are done two hours later to check glucose levels. If glucose levels remain low, it indicates improper digestion and absorption of lactose.
Treatment: If diary intolerance is due to an underlying condition, addressing that condition might eventually restore your ability to digest diary, though it could take months. For other causes, managing a low-diary diet can help avoid discomfort.
To reduce diary intake:
- Limit consumption of milk and other dairy products.
- Incorporate small amounts of dairy into your meals.
- Choose lactose-reduced ice cream and milk.
- Use lactase enzyme supplements in liquid or powder form to break down lactose in milk.