Lactose intolerance is a common type of food intolerance in which the body fails to produce adequate amounts of an enzyme called lactase. Your body needs lactase to digest lactose, a sugar present in dairy and milk products. Throughout the United States, an estimated 50 million people suffer from lactose intolerance -- including African-Americans.
Prevalence is Controversial
The prevalence of lactose intolerance in blacks is controversial. Health professionals with the University of maryland Medical Center report that approximately 75 percent of African-Americans are lactose intolerance. In contrast, the a survey published in the January 2011 issue of the "Journal of the National Medical Association" notes that while 49 percent of African-Americans had experience physical discomfort after eating dairy products, only 24 percent reported being lactose intolerant. The reason for this prevalence discrepancy is unclear.
Symptoms
The symptoms of lactose intolerance usually occur approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours after an affected person ingests a dairy food. Without lactase, the lactose sugar can't be metabolized by the digestive tract. Instead, lactose irritates the stomach, causing nausea, bloating, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Stomach irritation is uncomfortable and may also contribute to a decrease in appetite. Seek care from your medical provider if you develop lactose intolerance symptoms after eating dairy foods to ensure you receive proper diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosis
The two common diagnostic tests used to detect lactose intolerance are the lactose tolerance test and the hydrogen breath test. Both tests are performed by a medical professional and measure how much lactose is absorbed by your digestive tract. Before undergoing the lactose tolerance test, you need to refrain from eating for period of time determined by your doctor. After fasting, your doctor will give you a lactose-containing liquid to drink. Over the course of two hours, your doctor will take blood samples and measure the amount of glucose in your blood. The amount of sugar in your blood helps your doctor determine how well your body can digest lactose.
Prior to the hydrogen breath test, you doctor will have you drink a beverage with high levels of lactose. Your doctor will analyze how much hydrogen your breath emits at specific time points after you drink the beverage. When your body can't properly digest lactose, the amount of hydrogen present in your breath is abnormally high.
Treatment
The simplest treatment for lactose intolerance is abstaining from eating lactose-containing foods. Maintaining a lactose-free diet will prevent the development of lactose intolerance symptoms. Alternatively, your doctor may recommend taking lactase enzymes immediately before you eat a meal that contains diary or milk. Lactase enzymes are available over-the-counter in pill and liquid form.
