Lactose is a form of sugar found in milk products. Some people lack the enzyme that enables the body to break down this sugar. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include gas, nausea, diarrhea and bloating within 30 minutes to two hours after drinking milk or eating milk products such as ice cream or cheese. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Some populations have a greater incidence of lactose intolerance than others.
Prevalence of Lactose Intolerance
From 30 to 50 million people in the United States are lactose intolerant, according to The Ohio State University Medical Center. Certain ethnic groups have a higher incidence of lactose intolerance than others. Estimates range from 90 to 100 percent lactose intolerance among Asians, 80 percent for African Americans, but only about 21 percent for whites of Northern European descent. The incidence of lactose intolerance increases with age, with more adults and elderly people with the problem than infants and children.
Gender and Lactose Intolerance
Both men and women can suffer from lactose intolerance. No studies have shown a marked difference between the incidence of lactose intolerance in men or women in any ethnic population.
Lactose Intolerant Women
Though women may not experience lactose intolerance more than men, they are at greater risk for bone loss due to lack of calcium in the diet. Milk and dairy products are a primary source of calcium, and women who give up these foods because of lactose intolerance are at greater risk of insufficient calcium in their diet. If you're a woman with lactose intolerance, work with your doctor to identify other sources of calcium, such as green-leaf vegetables; fortified cereals and orange juice; calcium supplements; and fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir, which break down the lactose and make it more digestible.
Treating Lactose Intolerance
People who want to enjoy milk products but have a hard time digesting them sometimes take enzymes to help them digest lactose. Some people are able to tolerate dairy products if they consume them in small portions of less than a cup, and consume them at meals with other foods. Continuing to consume milk products in amounts you can tolerate can actually help your body produce more of the enzymes that will help you digest lactose.
