Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is a metabolic issue when the body produces insufficient lactase enzymes in the small intestines to digest the lactose sugar found in dairy products. Fortunately, this condition doesn’t cause any physical damage, however, it can produce symptoms such as abdominal gas, bloating, diarrhea, pain, and nausea. The severity of these symptoms is directly proportional a person’s lactose intolerance, and the amount of lactose they consume.
What is Lactose and How is it Used?
Lactose is a disccharide only found in milk, which is metabolized into the monosaccharides galactose, and later into glucose. This is then used for cell energy or stored as glycogen (Nutrients Review, 2016).
lactose also assists in the uptake of calcium, an essential nutrient, which is a secondary constituent of milk. Perhaps this is the …show more content…
Like all mammals, children are born with the innate ability to digest milk as their primary source of nutrients. Conversely, we lose this ability as we age and our diets change. How fast we lose this ability is a factor of genetics, which has an interesting history behind it.
Approximately 10,000 years ago, mankind began to domesticate livestock (dairy animals). Consequently, milk became an easily available nutritional resource and adults who could metabolize milk gained a significant evolutionary advantage. Today, 95% of adult descendants from areas with a history of domesticated dairy animals can consume milk, whereas adult descendants from other areas, have only a 10% rate of lactose tolerance.
Other Causes of Lactose Intolerance.
Physical trauma to the small intestines and in rare cases, genetic birth defects has been known to inhibit lactase production thus resulting in lactose intolerance.
Clinical Diagnosis
Clinical diagnosis involves the consumption of liquids containing high levels lactose followed two hour later by one of the following tests (Mayo Clinic,
Lactose intolerance is a metabolic issue when the body produces insufficient lactase enzymes in the small intestines to digest the lactose sugar found in dairy products. Fortunately, this condition doesn’t cause any physical damage, however, it can produce symptoms such as abdominal gas, bloating, diarrhea, pain, and nausea. The severity of these symptoms is directly proportional a person’s lactose intolerance, and the amount of lactose they consume.
What is Lactose and How is it Used?
Lactose is a disccharide only found in milk, which is metabolized into the monosaccharides galactose, and later into glucose. This is then used for cell energy or stored as glycogen (Nutrients Review, 2016).
lactose also assists in the uptake of calcium, an essential nutrient, which is a secondary constituent of milk. Perhaps this is the …show more content…
Like all mammals, children are born with the innate ability to digest milk as their primary source of nutrients. Conversely, we lose this ability as we age and our diets change. How fast we lose this ability is a factor of genetics, which has an interesting history behind it.
Approximately 10,000 years ago, mankind began to domesticate livestock (dairy animals). Consequently, milk became an easily available nutritional resource and adults who could metabolize milk gained a significant evolutionary advantage. Today, 95% of adult descendants from areas with a history of domesticated dairy animals can consume milk, whereas adult descendants from other areas, have only a 10% rate of lactose tolerance.
Other Causes of Lactose Intolerance.
Physical trauma to the small intestines and in rare cases, genetic birth defects has been known to inhibit lactase production thus resulting in lactose intolerance.
Clinical Diagnosis
Clinical diagnosis involves the consumption of liquids containing high levels lactose followed two hour later by one of the following tests (Mayo Clinic,