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Healthy Diet Plans >>
Lactose Intolerance |
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Lactose IntoleranceLactose intolerance is the inability of a person to digest sugar in milk called lactose.
There might be a limit up to what each person can digest lactose in milk. This happens due to shortage in an enzyme that helps digestion of lactose called lactase. Function of lactase is to break down lactose into sugar (glucose) and galactose, which goes directly into the blood stream.
Each person has different lactose intolerance symptoms.
People might start reacting to lactose in milk after 30 minutes to 2 hours. Symptoms might include cramps, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, etc. Symptoms are not the same in each person; some might feel only a mild upset whereas someone might get severe cramps. Lactose tolerance also depends on the age, sex and ethnicity of a person.
Lactose intolerance is also dependant on the digestive system.
For the purpose of lactose intolerance diagnosis, there are three types of tests taken. The first one is the Lactose Tolerance Test; this test involves drinking liquid containing lactose. For this the person has to fast before taking the test. Doctors then keep on taking blood samples over the period of next two hours. If the enzyme lactase has been able to break down all lactose and convert it into glucose, the glucose then will be transferred to liver which will then go in to the blood stream, thus there will be an increase in glucose level in blood. If there is no increase, it means the person has lactose intolerance.
Another method is the Hydrogen Breath Test, this test involves measuring hydrogen in a person’s breath. The person is made to drink a lactose drink, then there is undigested lactose in stomach, the bacteria ferment it and it starts giving out gases, one of the gases is the hydrogen. Hydrogen then travels through the blood stream into lungs and then comes out of breath, thus measuring hydrogen tells whether or not the person is lactose intolerant.
The third test is the stool acidity test, this test useful for infants. This measures the amount of acid in their stool. Undigested lactose when fermented by bacteria increase the level of acid in stomach, this increases the acid levels in stools. Undigested glucose also might be present in the stools.
This can show the level of lactose indigestion.
Lactose intolerance can be treated, though there is no way to increase lactose in stomach, people can consume lactose in some other ways. For some people, a single glass of milk might not do any harm whereas two glasses of milk would, in such a case the person can limit his milk intake to a single glass, people can also have milk in several different ways like the yogurt or cheese, where the lactose is less likely to harm. Infants should not be fed with lactose rich food if they have allergy, there are chances that lactose intolerance would diminish as they grow. |
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