Lactose intolerance occurs when your digestive system is unable to process lactose adequately. Lactose is a form of sugar found in milk products and in people who are lactose intolerant. It can cause abdominal pain, usually resulting from excess gas trapped in the digestive tract. Severe lactose intolerance can cause pain that impairs your everyday life, making formerly enjoyable activities uncomfortable. Fortunately, several options are available to help reduce the pain of lactose intolerance. Some are available over-the-counter and others can be prescribed by your physician, as necessary.
Step 1
Eat foods that contain milk products with other foods. Eating a solid food, such as a whole grain cereal or a sandwich, may help reduce the pain from lactose intolerance. This is because your body doesn't just have a single, lactose-rich food to digest so there is a thinning out of the usually concentrated troublesome ingredient. Consider also dividing the portions of your dairy products in half when you are consuming them with a meal, to decrease the amount of lactose you have at each meal.
Step 2
Consume products that are labeled "lactose-free" or are "reduced in lactose." These products, which include milk and cheese, can be found at your local grocery store. Most people, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, can tolerate a small amount of lactose, so if you don't want to completely eliminate your regular milk products, mix half the lactose-free product with them. This is also a good way to continue to get your daily dose of calcium, an important mineral that helps keep your bones strong.
Step 3
Take an over-the-counter supplement that contains lactase, an enzyme that may help you digest lactose. For best results, you should take a lactase-enzyme supplement in capsule or tablet form before you eat a food product that contains dairy or milk. If you are using lactase drops instead, mix them into dairy products, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Lactase supplements help some individuals with lactose intolerance reduce or eliminate their symptoms, including abdominal pain and bloating. You may also want to add an over-the-counter medication that treats gas, to help reduce the pain it causes.
Step 4
Check nutrition labels for potential hidden sources of lactose. Lactose appears in some food products that may not immediately seem to contain any source of milk. Milk and lactose itself can appear in foods, such as soups, cereals and condiments. Lactose can also be added to certain medications, so ask your doctor or pharmacist if a product you are taking contains a source of milk.
Step 5
Experiment with a variety of dairy foods. Lactose occurs in different amounts in different products. One product may cause symptoms while another one doesn't. Cultured milk products, such as yogurt and aged hard cheese, generally contain less lactose than their regular counterparts. Choose yogurt that contains live active cultures, which are beneficial bacteria that may also help you digest lactose.
Tips and Warnings
- Speak with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet.
