Do you feel something strange or uncomfortable in your stomach after drinking a glass of milk or eating a delicious cup of yogurt? Do you feel full, maybe have a stomach ache, or do you need to go to the bathroom quickly? This is a problem that many of us in Sri Lanka have. The reason for this may be simpler than you think. Today we are talking about this condition that affects many people, but is not exactly known, namely lactose intolerance.
What exactly is lactose intolerance?
Simply put, this means that our bodies cannot properly digest lactose, a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products.
Think about it this way. When we eat dairy, the sugar in it, called lactose, needs to be broken down and digested in our small intestine. We have a special enzyme in our body that helps with this task. It's called lactase . Now you get the idea, right? Lactase is needed to digest lactose.
A person with lactose intolerance produces very little or no lactase in their body. What happens then? The lactose that enters the body from dairy foods is not digested. When it is not digested, all the stomach problems we talked about earlier occur.
The severity of these symptoms varies from person to person. Some people may experience only mild discomfort, while others may experience severe symptoms. It depends on how much lactase your body produces.
Why does lactase in our body decrease?
There may be several reasons for this:
- Occurs with age: This happens to many people. When we are young, especially when we are breastfeeding, our bodies produce a lot of lactase. But usually around the age of 5, this production starts to gradually decrease. This is normal.
- Genetics: Very rarely, some babies are born with a genetic condition that prevents them from making lactase. These babies may experience symptoms such as bloating after drinking milk.
- Premature birth: Babies born prematurely may not produce enough lactase in their bodies at first. However, this condition usually goes away as they grow older.
- Other medical conditions: Some medical conditions can also damage our small intestine and reduce lactase production. For example, conditions like celiac disease, Crohn's disease, and injuries to the small intestine can cause this.
How to control these symptoms?
Symptoms usually appear between 30 minutes and 2 hours after you eat dairy. The best way to manage this is to change your diet. But that doesn't mean you have to stop eating dairy completely.
The most important thing is to listen to your body. You need to know for yourself what kind of dairy you can digest and how much.
Maybe you have trouble drinking a glass of milk, but a piece of cheese (especially cheddar, Swiss) may be fine. Or maybe you have a yogurt. It's something you'll have to experiment with and figure out for yourself.
| Ways to help manage symptoms | |
|---|---|
| Choice of options | Lactose-free milk is now available on the market. You can also use plant-based milks like soy milk and almond milk. |
| Taking with other foods | Rather than drinking milk alone, combine it with another solid food, such as cornflakes. This will help the digestion process take place a little more slowly, which may reduce symptoms. |
| Enzyme supplements | There are tablets or liquids that contain the enzyme lactase. These, when taken before eating dairy foods, help digest lactose. However, it is essential to talk to your doctor before using anything like this. |
Other places where lactose can be hidden
Many people think that lactose is only found in milk, yogurt, and ice cream. But the truth is, lactose can be hidden in foods we don't even think about. That's why it's so important to read the label when buying something at the store.
| Food type | What to pay attention to |
|---|---|
| Foods that clearly contain lactose | |
| Milk and milk products | Milk, yogurt, cheese, cream cheese, ice cream, powdered milk |
| Foods that may contain hidden lactose | |
| Bakery products | Bread, cake, biscuit, cookie mixes |
| Processed foods | Processed meats, instant soups, instant potato mixes, salad dressings, margarine |
| Things labeled "Non-dairy" | Even some "non-dairy" creamers and whipped toppings may contain ingredients made from milk. |
When reading a label, look specifically for these words:
- Whey
- Curds
- Milk by-products
- Dry milk solids
- Nonfat dry milk powder
Surprisingly, some of the medications we take can contain lactose . Even birth control pills and some stomach acid pills contain some lactose. So before you take any new medication, it is very important to ask your doctor if it contains lactose.
How to meet calcium needs without dairy products?
One of the biggest problems we face when cutting out dairy is how to get the right amount of calcium. As you know, calcium is essential for keeping our bones strong. Calcium is also essential for protecting against osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become thinner and more easily broken as we age.
But there's nothing to fear. There are ways to get enough calcium without dairy.
- Green vegetables and herbs: things like spinach, kale, collard greens, and broccoli.
- Fish: Fish like salmon and tuna (small fish like sardines and halibut are also very good if you can eat them with a fork).
- Nuts and flakes: soy, beans, chickpeas, lentils.
- Foods with added calcium: There are now products on the market that have added calcium, such as calcium-fortified soy milk and almond milk.
- Oranges
Another thing is that the live bacteria (active cultures) in yogurt can make it easier for some people with lactose allergies to digest yogurt, as those bacteria themselves help digest lactose.
When talking about calcium, there is another one that cannot be forgotten. That is Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium properly. Milk is a good source of Vitamin D. Therefore, when you reduce your dairy intake, you should also be careful about Vitamin D. It is best to talk to your doctor and ask if you need a calcium and Vitamin D supplement.
Take-Home Message
- Lactose intolerance is a common and manageable condition. It is not a serious illness.
- This is due to a decrease in the body's lactase enzyme, which is needed to digest lactose found in dairy foods.
- Lactose can be hidden not only in milk, yogurt, and ice cream, but also in things like bread, biscuits, and processed foods. So make it a habit to read labels.
- Find out what works for you. Maybe you can't have milk, but you can eat things like yogurt and cheese in small amounts.
- If you are reducing dairy foods, don't forget to provide your body with the calcium it needs from things like green vegetables, small fish, and nuts.
- If you have any concerns about your symptoms or before taking any supplements, be sure to consult your doctor.
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