A child who drinks soy formula may or may not end up becoming lactose intolerant as an adult, but the appearance of that condition would not be linked to her consumption of soy formula in early life. Lactose intolerance results when your body doesn't contain enough lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar found in dairy products.
Effects of Lactase Deficiency
When you lack this enzyme, the lactose you consume passes into your large intestine undigested. There, the normal bacterial flora of your gastrointestinal system consumes it, producing a lot of gas as a byproduct, which can cause bloating and abdominal pain.
Causes of Lactose Intolerance
Most of the people on this planet are deficient in lactase due to a genetically inherited deficit, according to the "World Journal of Gastroenterology." The second most common cause of lactose intolerance is decreased lactase production is due to some underlying intestinal disorder. A decrease in lactase production can also occur as a consequence of aging, or due to radiation therapy to the abdomen, according to MayoClinic.com.
Benefits of Dairy in Early Life
Though the consumption of soy formula in infancy is not likely to have an effect on a person's ability to digest lactose in adulthood, there are other reasons it is more beneficial to include breast milk or formula containing dairy products in feeding your infant, rather than using only soy-based formula.
Dr. Jennifer Thomas, a pediatrician who practices in Wisconsin, states that the nutritional content of soy-based formulas is inferior to that of dairy-based formulas and that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend soy-based formulas. At the crucial early stages of life, calcium absorption is crucial for building a strong skeletal foundation. Thomas notes that lactose, the sugar found in dairy products, aids in the absorption of both calcium and iron, helps promote the development of healthy intestinal flora and helps form a type of fat needed for brain development.
Treatment of Lactose Intolerance
If you are a lactose intolerant adult, there's nothing you can do to permanently eliminate your lactase deficiency, but you may find that certain lifestyle changes can help ease your symptoms. Consuming fewer dairy products, and conduct a few trials to see which products exacerbate your symptoms. You may find you are less sensitive to certain types of low lactose cheeses such as Swiss or cheddar. Products containing beneficial bacteria, such as yogurt, may also help, as these microbes product their own lactase. Over the counter products containing lactase also provide relief for some people suffering from lactose intolerance.
