Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest a sugar found in dairy products, known as lactose. This is due to a lack of a certain enzyme, known as lactase. You might have been born without the ability to produce this enzyme, or your body may have stopped producing it over time. Symptoms generally include abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea. While there are several medical tests to confirm lactose intolerance, you can test for it at home before going to the doctor for a confirmation. In fact, your doctor may ask you to perform this regimen anyway before submitting you to further tests.
Step 1
Eliminate all dairy products from your diet for one month. Read nutrition labels carefully, as dairy may appear in unexpected products.
Step 2
Reintroduce small amounts of cheese after one month. Start with one small cube. The next day, have two. Gradually increase the amount.
Step 3
Keep a food journal through the whole process to record what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat it, as well as the symptoms you experience and when they occur. If you discover that you have stomach pain after eating cheese but no stomach pain when you weren't eating any dairy, you probably have lactose intolerance.
Step 4
Visit your doctor to confirm the diagnosis with a stool test, glucose test or hydrogen breath test.
