The curious case of lactose intolerance
- August 4, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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The curious case of lactose intolerance
Subject: Science and technology
Section: Health
Context:
- Lactose intolerance (Allergic to milk or milk products) is something one can develop at any point in life.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS):
- Symptoms: Sensitive stomach, the frequent episodes of abdominal bloating, continuous belching, pain and occasional diarrhoea are symptoms of lactose intolerance or the IBS.
Lactose intolerance:
- Doctors do not consider lactose intolerance to be a disorder.
- They describe it as the digestive system’s reaction to milk sugar (lactose) which it cannot digest.
- The body needs an enzyme called lactase which is produced by the cells lining the small intestine, to digest lactose.
- If one is deficient in lactase, the undigested lactose passes on to the colon, where it produces extra gas and water, resulting in bloating, cramps and diarrhoea.
- Lactose intolerance thus produces symptoms which can be uncomfortable, but it is never dangerous.
- The degree of intolerance depends on the amount of lactose their system can tolerate.
- As one ages, there is a normal decline in the amount of lactase that the small intestine produces.
- Prevalence rate:
- According to literature, estimates for lactose intolerance vary by ethnicity.
- The prevalence rate is 75-95% in African American and Asian ethnicities while it is estimated to be 18-26% amongst Europeans.
- Lactose intolerance does run in families and the symptoms can become evident during childhood or adolescence.
- It is possible to develop secondary lactose intolerance all of a sudden following surgery or chemotherapy or if one has an infection, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease which affects the small intestine. But this usually goes away once the small intestine regains health.
- Detection Tests:
- Though there are specific tests like the hydrogen breath test to determine lactose intolerance, these tests do not have much use in clinical practice.
- This is a condition that is generally self-diagnosed and self-managed.
Difference between lactose intolerance and IBS:
- Lactose intolerance is a specific digestive issue associated with the consumption of dairy products and ceases to be a problem when the person totally avoids or restricts milk products in the diet.
- But its symptoms can easily overlap with another common and chronic gastric disorders such as IBS, the pathogenesis of which is quite different.
Lactose intolerance is different from allergy to milk:
- Lactose intolerance is the digestive system’s response to the milk sugar (lactose), whereas in the event of a milk allergy, the entire immune system will react against the milk protein.
- The reaction is often immediate and severe in the case of milk allergy, while lactose intolerance will never lead to any serious disease or long-term complications.
Alternative supplement to the milk for lactose intolerant persons:
- There are options such as plant-based milk (soy/almond milk) or lactose-free milk.
- There are plenty of other food sources — yoghurt, tofu, nuts, spinach, broccoli, orange, lentils and legumes — that a lactose-intolerant person can depend on for calcium supplementation.