What to know about the symptoms of a dairy intolerance.

06/02/2022

Lactose is a sugar found only in milk. It is also present in dairy products and products made from milk, including cheese and ice cream.

If a person has lactose intolerance, their digestive system produces too little of an enzyme known as lactase. Lactase is needed to break down lactose.

Lactose intolerance is different from a milk allergy. In a milk allergy, the body reacts to milk proteins, not milk sugar. A milk allergy can result in severe symptoms, including anaphylaxis.

Worldwide, 68% of people have trouble digesting lactose.

People with lactose intolerance experience symptoms after eating or drinking milk or dairy products that contain lactose.

Symptoms can range from mild discomfort to a severe reaction. This depends on how much lactase a person’s body produces and how much lactose they consumed.

Most people with lactose intolerance can eat some amount of lactose without experiencing symptoms. Each person has a different tolerance level.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance can include:

bloating
abdominal pain and cramping
flatulence (gas)
nausea
diarrhoea
belching

The person may have a sudden urge to use the bathroom 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming lactose.

Chronic diarrhoea can lead to dehydration, so it is important for a person to drink plenty of water if they have diarrhoea.

Lactase is an enzyme produced in the small intestine. The body uses lactase to break down lactose into components called galactose and glucose. The glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream.

If a person’s lactase levels are low, the lactose does not break down and it does not absorb into the bloodstream. Instead, it moves into the large intestine, or colon. Bacteria in the colon react to any product that contains lactose by creating more gas. That can lead to discomfort and other unpleasant symptoms for the individual.

Lactose intolerance is often inherited. The types include:

Primary lactase deficiency, which is the most common type of lactose intolerance. It is genetic and symptoms often appear when an infant is weaned from milk to solids. Lactase production drops, and symptoms of intolerance appear.
Congenital lactase deficiency, which is when a person is born with a genetic mutation results in them producing very little or no lactase.
Familial lactase deficiency, which is when a person produces enough lactase, but the person does not break down the lactose for absorption into the bloodstream.

In some people, lactase levels drop from an early age, but the symptoms of lactose intolerance may not appear until they are an older child or adult.

There is also a condition called secondary lactase deficiency, in which a problem with the small intestine results in too little lactase production. Possible causes are:

intestinal surgery
Crohn's disease
ulcerative colitis
chemotherapy
celiac disease
gastroenteritis
irritable bowel syndrome

Good news is that the wise use of Natren probiotics can help those who are lactose intolerant. You can choose Natren’s dairy free powder or capsules or try the following programme to help improve dairy intolerance: It is best to start with dairy-based Natren probiotic products, as they produce the most lactase, which is necessary to help your body digest the lactose in milk and milk products. Use Natren's Superdophilus Dairy, Bifidonate Dairy, and Bulgaricum Dairy which produce lactase to help digest milk and milk products. It is best to start with very small amounts of probiotics and increase the amounts gradually. Start with 1/8 th teaspoon of Superdophilus, Bifidonate and Bulgaricum mixed in half a glass of water, taken once a day before any meal. Over days gradually increase the amount to 1⁄4 teaspoon of each powder, then to 1/2 a teaspoon of each powder. Slowly start to re-introduce a small amount of one type of dairy food into your diet. A very small amount like a 1cm cube of cheese or 1 tablespoon of yoghurt a day. After 1 week or longer add another dairy product in a little amount and repeat this process. If symptoms of lactose intolerance start, stop the dairy products and re-introduce later after you have taken probiotics for a longer time. At any time you may consider using Natren's dairy free probiotics for while. Just remember the bacteria grown on a dairy free base do not produce much lactase comapred to the bacteria grown on a dairy base.

Dairy or Dairy- Free?

Natren powders come in dairy free or dairy. Natren capsules are dairy-free only; This refers to the food the bacteria eat while they grow. Bacteria loves to grow on dairy so they make a great product, and the Natren blue label dairy powders are a long time loved favourite of customers. However Natren’s dairy-free products are designed for people who cannot tolerate milk protein and for those who choose a dairy-free lifestyle and are vegan. The dairy-free capsules contain certified organically grown chickpea extract, cellulose powder and dehydrated potato powder. The dairy free powder is chick pea only (no potato) and Trenev Trio is sunflower oil (no potato or chick pea).

What to know about the symptoms of a dairy intolerance.

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What to know about the symptoms of a dairy intolerance.

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