Lactose Intolerance – Diagnosis and Treatment
Ever been to a cafe where people are looking for other types of milk options for their coffee fix? For example, Ordering almond milk or soya milk could be because they like to try different kinds of milk or because they cannot have regular milk as they are suffering from Lactose intolerance.
What is Lactose Intolerance?
Lactose intolerance is a digestive issue found in many people where the body rejects any form of lactose, a sugar component in dairy products like milk.
Symptoms
Some signs might show up after consuming lactose, which proves that you’re suffering from lactose intolerance. These are:
- Stomach bloating
- Continuous farting
- Cramps
- Rumbles in your stomach
These symptoms might be affected by the amount of lactose you’ve consumed. For example, some people might be affected by a few sips of coffee with dairy, while others might be triggered by having two tiny sips of regular milk.
Diagnosis
Always consider visiting your GP if you feel you or your baby are showing any signs of lactose intolerance. It is suggested to keep a log of what you eat and drink and the symptoms that show up after that.
Notice if you feel extra sensitive toward specific foods, after which your GP might suggest that you remove Lactose items from your diet for a couple of weeks which would further prove whether you’re lactose intolerant; this is also known as the Lactose Intolerant Test.
Causes behind Lactose intolerance
Our body digests lactose, typically using lactase, which helps break down lactose into two sugar components, glucose, and galactose, to be absorbed within the bloodstream.
People suffering from lactose intolerance cannot produce the required amount of lactase which leads to lactose staying in the system, which is then brewed by bacteria.
Due to this, different types of gases are produced, which trigger the symptoms relating to lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance can be either permanent or temporary, depending on why your body isn’t producing enough lactase.
In the case of adults, lactose intolerance is often inherited and tends to be permanent. On the other hand, in young children, lactose intolerance is caused by some infection and can be overcome over time. Therefore, lactose intolerance has to be verified by physicians by conducting lactose tolerance tests.
Medical Guidance
Many people might start removing lactose-containing items from their diet without consulting a physician. Lactose intolerance symptoms might be similar to other medical conditions. Thus, it’s best to see a doctor beforehand.
The same symptoms can be caused by:
- IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome): Like Lactose intolerance, this is also a long-term digestive system-related condition.
- Milk Protein intolerance: Not the same as milk allergy, but it is an unfavourable reaction toward the protein in milk from cows.
Treatment
Physicians can treat lactose intolerance by controlling the symptoms by changing their diet. People can find food containing lactose levels that will help avoid the triggering of lactose intolerant symptoms.
Conclusion
It’s best to visit your general physician before taking methods into your own hands. Ensure that the problem on hand is, in fact, lactose intolerance and not something else. Follow up with regular appointments and ensure that your doctor conducts proper lactose intolerance test before taking action.