Does Lactobacillus Acidophilus Contain Lactose?

Although its name suggests the presence of lactose, Lactobacillus acidophilus belongs to a family of bacteria called lactobacteria that thrive on milk sugars. Found naturally in the body, it is added to certain brands of milk and yogurt and can also be purchased as a supplement. Lactobacillus acidophilus does not contain lactose in any of its forms.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose, the primary sugar in milk, breaks down in the small intestine with the help of an enzyme called lactase. Lactose-intolerant individuals produce insufficient amounts of the enzyme, so the undigested food passes into the colon where bacteria break it down. The process produces lactic acid and gas, causing mild to severe digestive symptoms such as flatulence, diarrhea and abdominal pain within 30 minutes to two hours after eating foods containing lactose.

Sources of Lactose

Lactose-intolerant individuals generally react more strongly to high-lactose food such as milk, which contains 11 g of lactose per serving, than to low-lactose foods such as hard cheeses with 0.4 to 3 g per serving, according to dietitian Stacey McCray in an article published in the February 2003 issue of "Practical Gastroenterology." However, they often can tolerate yogurt, because the bacteria used in the manufacturing process break the lactose down, making the product more digestible.

Lactobacillus Acidophilus

Lactobacillus acidophilus, a strain of lactobacteria, occurs naturally in the intestines, the vagina and the urinary tract. Considered a probiotic or friendly bacteria, L. acidophilus also comes in capsule, powder or liquid supplement form. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved Lactobacillus acidophilus for treatment of any disease or condition, although it is sometimes used for urinary tract infections, yeast infections or diarrhea, according to the Drugs website. Neither the supplement nor the organism contains lactose.

Acidophilus Milk

Although both yogurt and acidophilus milk contain bacterial cultures, the effects on lactose are not comparable. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, the bacteria used to ferment milk into yogurt, improve the digestibility of the product for lactose intolerants by breaking down the lactose. The Lactobacillus acidophilus in acidophilus milk, however, does not break down lactose or make the product more tolerable to people with insufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, according to McCray.