Lactase digestion is a problem many people suffer from everyday. Learn more about treating lactose intolerance in our digestion enzymes series.
For those with lactose intolerance, you may be all too familiar with what we picked from our digestive enzymes, lactase. Lactase digestion helps you process the lactose in dairy, helping to prevent bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and cramping that happens to many who ingest milk products. Lactose intolerance is not an allergy, it is about a missing enzyme necessary for the proper digestion of dairy. For those who can digest dairy, lactase is produced by cells in the small intestine. For those who are intolerant, it is not—or it is not produced in sufficient quantity.
Lactase’s primary function is to break down lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products. Your body cannot naturally absorb lactose, so lactase enzymes help digest this milk sugar. This in done in order for your body to metabolize this form of sugar by breaking down the lactose into smaller, more digestible sugars called glucose and galactose.
When your body is unable to produce enough lactase to function properly, a condition known as lactose intolerance develops. Lactase deficiency is the most common and well-known form of carbohydrate intolerance.
Most mammals, including humans, have high intestinal lactase activity at birth (which makes sense when you consider all mammals nurse during their first few months). But, in many cases, this activity declines to low levels during childhood and drops even further (or completely disappears) in adulthood. The low lactase levels cause incomplete digestion of milk and other foods containing lactose. Undigested lactose in the bowel then is subject to fermentation which causes the bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and cramping associated with lactose intolerance.
It is estimated that approximately 70% of the world’s population is deficient in intestinal lactase with more than one-third of the U.S. population presumed to be lactose intolerant and unable to digest dairy products, causing sometimes severe digestion problems.
According to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, symptoms of lactase deficiency begin thirty minutes to two hours after ingesting milk or a similar dairy product. Symptoms can include abdominal bloating, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, flatulence and diarrhea.1 Supplemental lactase enzymes have been found to decrease the symptoms of lactose intolerance associated with the consumption of dairy foods. One way of treating lactose intolerance is by adding lactase enzymes to regular milk, or take digestive enzymes that contain lactase in capsule or chewable tablet form.
Resources: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000276.htm
Headaches and Eyes/ Dairy
Hi Jon
I have been a subscriber for quite awhile although I haven’t always read your emails but this particular one re Lactase Enzymes caught my eye as for many years now I have had a problem which has been hard to define which I now find that my problem has been dairy and soya products. I also have a problem with sugar. I haven’t known which way to turn with these problems as no one seemed to have the answer. I now have dairy free milk I use Oat milk and Vitalite on my bread but still I have the headaches and burning sensations in my eyes and limbs. The cause must lie somewhere else. The sugar side of it gives me a headache straight away so no jam on bread etc.
The reaction that I get when eating dairy is in my eyes when I sense that there is like a bit of dirt sitting in them but it is not that its because of the dairy. Also my throat closes in and I cant breathe. I have learned of an exercise which does relieve the symptoms.
Soya just gives me a blistering rash on my chest.
So I avoid. I have had this now for 40 odd years. It all triggered off whilst under severe stress going through a divorce etc.
Regards
Connie
Although far fewer people
Although far fewer people have a gluten allergy than believe they do, burning limbs and eyes are symptoms typically associated with that problem. If you haven’t already done so, you might want to try a gluten free diet.
collusion of Food Manfacturers to create havoc on the human body
collusion of Food Manfacturers to create havoc on the body. Cause symptoms then produce the antidote at a price. Thats why i have left processed food and cook my own food.
Why are people so helpless, why can we not demand honest healthy products. Why do we allow corrupt governments and organisations to make fools of us all.
milk
What are the symptoms if someone lakes lactase digesting enzyme?
The last paragraph in the
The last paragraph in the article states: “…symptoms of lactase deficiency begin thirty minutes to two hours after ingesting milk or a similar dairy product. Symptoms can include abdominal bloating, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, flatulence and diarrhea. Supplemental lactase enzymes have been found to decrease the symptoms of lactose intolerance associated with the consumption of dairy foods. One way of treating lactose intolerance is by adding lactase enzymes to regular milk, or take digestive enzymes that contain lactase in capsule or chewable tablet form.”
Lactase enzymes
Are they safe to add to diet? Any side affects? Is there a cheaper solution?
Yes, they naturally exist in
Yes, they naturally exist in your body, you are just adding more to help with digestion. Here is an article and video that explains more: http://www.jonbarron.org/digestive-health/digestive-enzymes-healthy-diet
Milk intolerance
Lactose intolerance can also be treated differently, what I have noticed in my personal life. Instead of taking neat milk it can be adequately diluted in water say in 1:3 proportion and result is miraculous. Similarly diluted milk can be mixed up with pudding and can be taken. This minimises the chances of milk intolerance.