What is Lactose Intolerance? Symptoms, Causes & Precautions

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance happens when your body doesn't produce enough lactase enzyme. It is crucial for digesting lactose, which is present in milk and other dairy products. Have you ever felt uncomfortable after drinking milk or eating dairy products and seen symptoms like bloating, gas, stomach cramps and even diarrhoea? You could be lactose-intolerant.

This is not a dangerous condition, but it can make one very uncomfortable. Most people with lactose intolerance manage it by limiting their dairy intake and choosing lactose-free products or supplements in their diet and routine.

Having difficulty digesting lactose is a common condition in which a person faces lactase enzyme deficiency, and insufficient lactase leads to undigested lactose. People who have lactose intolerance often have lactose malabsorption, an inability to digest milk.

Foods That Cause Lactose Intolerance

Ever felt bloated or uncomfortable after drinking milk or eating ice cream? That digestive discomfort after consuming dairy products is often due to milk intolerance.

Dairy products such as milk and milk products made from cow and goat milk often contain high levels of lactose naturally. If you have dairy sensitivity symptoms, your body might react after having fresh milk products and even processed foods made using them.

Anything that contains milk, fresh cream, or soft cheese can often trigger you and show symptoms based on your levels of sensitivity.

What are the Causes of Lactose Intolerance?

The main cause of lactose intolerance is low levels of the lactase enzyme that helps digest lactose found in dairy products. This can happen to anyone and develop naturally with age, due to genetics, or because of certain digestive conditions that affect the small intestine, and thus result in dairy sensitivity.

Depending on the underlying cause, food intolerance can be classified into different types. Lactose intolerance can be caused by different types, which are:

Although lactose intolerance is not harmful, it can affect daily activities. If you experience severe symptoms, it is recommended that you see a doctor for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

What are the Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance?

The symptoms of lactose intolerance often show up within 30 minutes to a few hours of consuming milk or dairy items. Now, the severity of symptoms differs from person to person, depending on the consumption and lactase levels.

Some of the most common dairy intolerance symptoms are:

• Bloating after dairy - A feeling of fullness or swelling in the abdomen.
• Gas - Excess gas production that leads to discomfort or burping after consuming dairy products.
• Stomach cramps after milk - Pain or cramping in the abdomen as the digestive system finds it difficult to digest milk.
• Diarrhoea from dairy - Undigested lactose can lead to loose stools or frequent bowel movements.
• Nausea - Some people feel uneasy after eating dairy products.
• Vomiting - In more severe cases, you may experience vomiting due to higher sensitivity.
• Stomach growling or rumbling - Increased stomach sounds and gas that get uncomfortable.
• Indigestion - Discomfort, acidity or indigestion, or difficulty in digesting food.
• Feeling heavy - A sensation of fullness after consuming milk-based foods.

These symptoms often overlap with digestive conditions; it is important to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Milk Allergy vs Lactose Intolerance

People often confuse lactose intolerance with milk allergy. Understanding the differences between the two is important for proper diagnosis, dietary management, and treatment.

The table helps to know how milk allergy and lactose intolerance differ from each other.

While not acutely dangerous, unmanaged lactose intolerance can lead to chronic calcium and vitamin D deficiency, increasing the long-term risk of weak bones if dairy is avoided without nutritional supplementation.

How to Diagnose Lactose Intolerance?

You might understand what lactose intolerance is, but how would you know if you're lactose intolerant?

Diagnosis starts with a medical consultation with a doctor to review your symptoms and eating habits, especially whether you face discomfort after consuming dairy products. Doctors may also recommend certain tests to confirm the condition and find out other digestive issues.

In most cases, lactose intolerance is diagnosed by a hydrogen breath test. Apart from this, many diagnostic tests that help to find dairy sensitivity or lactase deficiency. Based on the symptoms and consumption levels, doctors often ask for some of these tests:

• Blood Sugar Test / Oral Lactose Tolerance Test
• Stool acidity test
• Elimination diet
• Small intestinal biopsy
• Genetic testing for LCT variants

How to Treat Lactose Intolerance?

While there is no permanent cure for lactose intolerance, the condition can be managed well through simple lifestyle changes like a lactose-free diet to balance your gut health.

Some of the common treatment that works to manage digestive disorders caused by the consumption of dairy are:

• Limiting dairy intake
• Eating smaller portions of dairy products
• Switching to lactose-free milk and non-dairy products for nutritional needs
• Consulting a doctor for adding probiotics for digestion, lactase supplements and a personalised diet.

Being lactose intolerant doesn't mean you need to avoid milk and dairy products from your diet completely. If you eliminate any item from your diet, you may face other nutritional deficiencies, such as calcium and vitamin D.

Many people with lactose intolerance often limit their intake of dairy products and enjoy it occasionally in moderation. This way, they won't harm their digestive health or experience severe symptoms.

Can You Prevent Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance can't be prevented if you get it genetically or due to ageing. However, you can always maintain good digestive health and treat the small intestine condition early to reduce the chances of developing dairy-related digestive problems.

Being mindful of your diet and understanding your body's tolerance level often helps you maintain your gut health and prevent the risk of developing dairy digestion issues.

Managing Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is generally not harmful to your health, but it can't be left untreated. So you need to try ways to manage it effectively. You will find it challenging at first, as it might affect your digestive system until you find what works for you.

Milk intolerance affects different people in different ways. There's no fixed rule for managing the condition. Getting advice from a doctor is the most beneficial way to live a healthy life with lactose intolerance. Once people understand what triggers the condition and know the intake limit, it becomes easier.

People with milk and dairy food intolerances should often take precautions to avoid dairy digestion issues. Here are a few tips that can help you:

• Read the ingredients label carefully for packaged food.
• Switch to a Lactose-free diet when needed.
• Maintain a balanced diet and get calcium and vitamin D.
• Choose dairy-free alternatives.
• Keep a track of foods that trigger your symptoms.
• Include Lactase supplements if recommended by your doctor.
• Pay attention to your portion sizes.

People can live a normal and healthy lifestyle with proper diet management.

Mool Health's Perspective on Lactose Intolerance

At Mool Health, the focus is on developing a holistic approach to keep your gut healthy and avoid developing digestive issues. The principles based on Ayurveda help in treating symptoms like acidity, gases, diarrhoea, nausea and irritability by working on the root causes. We believe that treating the cause is more beneficial than just fixing the symptoms.

The Gut Health Test from Mool Health helps you understand what is causing dairy sensitivity symptoms. We understand the importance of being aware of your body, making informed food choices, and taking preventive measures, such as timely medical advice, which can help you manage symptoms effectively and build a healthy gut naturally.