Lactose Intolerance Symptoms

Lactose intolerance is one of the most widespread complaints among adults in the world. Having said this, the vast majority of people are completely unaware of what lactose intolerance is, and moreover, are completely unaware their gastric problems are in fact classic lactose intolerance symptoms.

When somebody is said to be lactose intolerant, this means their bodies have a hard time processing a sugar compound called lactose, without feeling some kind of negative effect. Lactose is found in dairy products such as milk, margarine, butter, ice cream, bread and much more. Lactose intolerance stems from the common shortfall of lactase output by our small intestines. Lactase is the digestive enzyme given the somewhat arduous task of processing our lactose input. Around the age of 2 – 5, most humans lose much of their ability to produce lactase, therefore the amount of lactose they can consume without experiencing symptoms decreases dramatically.

Lactase production tends to drop off around this age because this is when the weaning period is over, and for the most part milk was never intended to be consumed again once this period was over. Before man domesticated animals such as cows and began consuming milk, it is unlikely milk was ever consumed after the initial weaning period. In northern Europeans, lactase production tends to remain high in adults due to a genetic change affected by what is known as lactase persistence. As many northern European cultures have been dairy farmers and heavy consumers of milk for millennia, this has given them greater tolerance to lactose from generation to generation, and is an excellent example of how the human body can adapt to cultural practice.

Some of the unpleasant lactose intolerance symptoms can be bloating, stomach cramps, gas and volatile bowel movements resulting in impromptu use of the toilet and diarrhoea.