You might think that adding probiotics to food might help conquer lactose intolerance, but think again. A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, concluded that the jury is still out regarding probiotics' efficacy as therapy for lactose intolerance. But enough uncertainty exists that physicians often counsel patients to try it.
Identification
Probiotics are live microorganisms taken as a supplement or added to foods to promote digestive health. Your small intestine and colon naturally contain millions of bacteria that help you digest foods. Probiotics enhance natural bacteria or repopulate bacteria wiped out for various reasons, namely following antibiotic use. Antibiotics kill all bacteria -- good and bad -- from your gut, weakening your ability to metabolize nutrients from the food you eat.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is commonly the result of a lack of enzyme needed to breakdown lactose, a milk sugar, into its two constituent sugars, glucose and galactose. Without the lactase enzyme, lactose is shuttled through your digestive system, irritating the digestive tract by pulling a lot of water along with it. People with lactose intolerance often feel bloated or experience diarrhea after consuming milk products.
Benefits of Probiotics for Lactose Intolerance
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh concluded there is a net-zero benefit of consuming probiotics for lactose intolerance. They evaluated nine randomized-controlled trials testing the ability of probiotics to alleviate symptoms of lactose intolerance symptoms and found mixed results. However, researchers pointed out that certain probiotic mixes showed more promise than others. More randomized-controlled trials must be done.
Types of Probiotics
Probiotic supplements come as over-the-counter capsules or are obtained from fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese. Probiotics are different from prebiotics, which is a catch-all term for plant fibers.
References
- PubMed; "Journal of Family Practice"; Do probiotics reduce adult lactose intolerance? A systematic review; KM Levri, et al; 2005
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Prebiotics or probiotics for lactose intolerance: a question of adaptation; Andrew Szilagyi; 1999
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; A randomized trial of Lactobacillus acidophilus BG2FO4 to treat lactose intolerance1,2,3,4,5; John R Saltzman; 1999
