People who suffer from lactose intolerance will not find much difference between cow's and goat's milk when it comes to lactose. According to AskDrSears.com, goat's milk has minimally less lactose in comparison to cow's milk. Cow's milk contains about 4.7 percent of lactose, while goat's milk contains about 4.1 percent. This minimal difference is not significant enough if you've been diagnosed with lactose intolerance. MedlinePlus states that some people with a general cow's milk intolerance find that goat's milk is easier to digest because of simpler fats and proteins.
Background
Lactose is a sugar commonly found in cow's milk. Your body produces certain enzymes to break down the food and beverages you ingest. Lactase is the enzyme used to digest lactose. If you're lactose intolerance, your body lacks the proper amount of lactase to properly digest the milk-sugar. MayoClinic.com states that almost everyone is lactose intolerant, to a degree, but only people with significant symptoms are diagnosed as lactose intolerant.
Symptoms
Drinking goat's milk may reduce the severity of your symptoms or it may make no difference, depending on the severity of your intolerance. Common symptoms associated with lactose intolerance are bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea, cramping, vomiting, floating stool and fowl-smelling stool, according to MedlinePlus. In extreme cases, lactose intolerance can lead to malnutrition or weight loss.
Treatment
There is no known cure for lactose intolerance, but it is manageable. Talk to your doctor about the best treatment option for your condition. If you're lactose intolerant, you can drink goat's milk while taking a lactase enzyme supplement. A lactase supplement will provide the proper amount of enzymes needed to assist your body in digesting the milk. Some manufactures make cow's milk with the lactase already added to the dairy. Another form of treatment for lactose intolerance is to avoid consuming all dairy products, including goat's milk.
Consideration
If you choose to avoid consuming dairy products, you may want to incorporate more foods that naturally contain calcium. Dairy products provide most people with calcium on a daily basis. Some foods that are high in calcium are kale, almonds, oranges, soy milk and spinach, according to MayoClinic.com.
Milk Allergy
Lactose intolerance is commonly confused with a milk allergy. If you have been diagnosed with a milk allergy, you should avoid consuming goat's milk products as well as cow's milk products. Talk with your doctor about any concerns.
