Compared to other digestive difficulties, including true food allergies, lactose intolerance is generally relatively benign. It's not life threatening, and while uncomfortable, it's entirely preventable. If you seem to have mild symptoms of lactose intolerance, there are some precautions you can take before consuming dairy that will allow you to continue to enjoy the foods you want to eat.
Lactase
If you're lactose intolerant, you don't produce adequate quantities of lactase, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology." Lactase is a digestive enzyme normally found in your small intestine that helps you break down lactose, or milk sugar. If you don't produce any lactase, dairy will give you severe gastrointestinal upset including cramping and diarrhea. If you produce small amounts of lactase, you may have only mild symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Causes
If previously never had mild symptoms of lactose intolerance but then develop them, there are several factors that may be to blame. First, most adults begin to lose their ability to produce lactase as they age. Even if you ate dairy without trouble as a child and a young adult, you may begin to develop mild lactose intolerance symptoms with age -- these will generally grow more severe with time. Additionally, intestinal illness can bring on symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Symptoms
Symptoms of mild lactose intolerance can include anything from intestinal gas, accompanied by bloating or cramping, to diarrhea. Typically, you'll notice symptoms within a few hours of when you consume milk or other dairy products. Very fast symptoms -- those that occur within minutes of milk consumption -- aren't due to lactose intolerance, and could indicate an allergy. Once you start having symptoms, they'll typically last anywhere from two to several hours, though this varies greatly with the efficiency and speed of your digestive tract. Generally, symptoms become increasingly mild as they begin to dissipate.
Considerations
It's worth noting that lactose intolerance isn't the only thing that causes intestinal upset, gas, and cramping after consuming dairy. For instance, many pregnant women worry that they're becoming lactose intolerant when in fact it's simply more common to be gassy or have cramps during pregnancy due to changes to the digestive system. Researchers note in a January 1999 article in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" that lactose intolerance is generally over-reported in the population. You should check with your doctor to be certain as to whether you're truly lactose intolerant.
Solutions
If you are, in fact, lactose intolerant and experience mild symptoms upon consuming dairy, one option is to take a lactase supplement. Available over-the-counter, these pills provide you with a temporary supply of lactase enzymes so you can digest dairy for a short period of time. Alternately, you can use lactose-free milk and other lactose-free dairy products. These are pre-treated with lactase, and pose no risk of symptoms.
References
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood, Ph.D.; 2004
- MayoClinic.com: Lactose Intolerance
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; A randomized trial of Lactobacillus acidophilus BG2FO4 to treat lactose intolerance; J Saltzman et. al; January 1999
