Individuals Affected

While congenital lactose intolerance is extremely rare, symptoms of dairy intolerance may be found on infants born on the sixth month, as lactase levels on fetuses do not increase until the last ninety days of pregnancy. Infants born of lactose intolerant mothers also have an increased tendency to have the same disorder. More so, if both parents are sensitive to dairy, the manifestation of symptoms could surge by up to sixty percent. Infants which complete the full term of nine months in an otherwise normal mother’s womb can develop and show signs of intolerance only after three years.

Children, who have primary lactase deficiency, or the inability to digest lactose, do not display symptoms until puberty or adulthood. This occurs and develops when the body produces less lactase as a person grows older, usually starting from age two. A secondary type of lactase deficiency, which is more common in infants than in children, can be caused by injuries sustained in the small intestines due to severe diarrheal illnesses, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or chemotherapy.

Adults tend to exhibit symptoms of dairy intolerance as they grow older; mostly affecting people aged 20-40. An estimate of seventy-five percent of the world’s population suffers from sensitivity to lactose. Some ethnicities demonstrate greater chances of being born lactase-deficient than others. Such are the seventy-five percent of all Afro-Americans and Native Americans and ninety percent of Asian-Americans, and a large number of South Americans. It is less likely, but not remotely impossible, for Northern and Western Europeans and people from the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, to develop the same condition. Amongst men and women, there is an equal probability to sustain lactase deficiency however; women have better chances to regain their abilities to digest lactose when they become pregnant.

Timeframe

Lactose or dairy intolerance symptoms may occur thirty minutes to two hours after being exposed to food items or beverages containing lactose, and depends variably on the amount of lactose ingested. Indications of a possible ingestion may present itself almost immediately after meals, so parents of lactose intolerant children can easily recognize symptoms and seek immediate care.

 

Foodstuffs that prompt reactions

Most diagnosed dairy intolerant persons can actually consume 240 ml of lactose without running the risk for symptoms. Listed below are some foodstuffs that must be avoided or checked for “hidden” lactose content:

• Bread and baked goods

• Processed breakfast cereals and breakfast drinks which contains soy, wheat and milk ingredients

• Soups such as tomato soup which contains milk enzymes

• Instant mashed potatoes

• Margarines which contain whey

• Luncheon meat which contains hydrolyzed protein from animal sources, such as milk

• Salad dressings which may have cheeses

• Candies, chocolates which usually have milk proteins and solids

• Ready mixes for pancakes, cookies and biscuits

• Foodstuffs that use whey, curds, milk-by-products, dry milk solids, nonfat dry milk powder

Many prescribed medications, as well as over-the-counter ones are lactose-based and should therefore be taken in moderation in case you exhibit symptoms of dairy intolerance. Birth control pills and medications for stomach acid and gas can also contain lactose.

 

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms can either be mild or severe, and can vary according to the individual’s dairy intake and the amount of lactose he can actually tolerate. Although the symptoms enumerated below may suggest that a person is suffering from dairy intolerance, caution must be practiced while treating a casualty as the symptom may that be of another medical condition. Similar digestive symptoms may be present on other conditions, like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or food poisoning, and must be treated accordingly. Taking without due consideration conditions such as food poisoning can result into severe dehydration, or in worst cases, death.

 

Mild dairy intolerance symptoms include:

• Nausea

• Pain in the abdominal area

• Abdominal fullness/bloating

• Gas (flatulence)

• Diarrhea or loose bowel movements

• Infants and children may exhibit slow growth and/ or malnutrition

 

Severe lactose intolerance does not lead to death, and morbidity is low amongst diagnosed individuals. Osteopenia or bone loss that can develop into a much more complicated bone condition called osteoporosis, results because avoiding dairy may also inadvertently eradicate calcium from a person’s diet.

When symptoms are not enough to diagnose a person to be dairy intolerant, the following diagnostic tests can be performed to confirm the condition.

• Enteroscopy – a procedure which probes the small intestine by inserting a thin, flexible tube through the mouth or nose and into the upper gastrointestinal tract.

• Lactose-hydrogen breath test – normally, individuals present very little hydrogen in their breath. High levels of hydrogen in a person’s breath indicate that lactose remains undigested. This test is done by having the person ingest a lactose-loaded beverage and have his breath examined over regular intervals to check for increasing levels of hydrogen.

• Lactose tolerant blood tests – a test which looks for glucose in the blood. Several blood tests will be taken from an individual after taking the same lactose-loaded beverage to determine whether glucose levels have increased, as a result of the breaking down of lactose.

• Stool pH – usually used on lactose intolerant infants or children to determine the amount of acid in the stool. Lactic acids and other fatty acids present in the stools indicate undigested lactose.

 

Danger Zones

Persons who are diagnosed with, and exhibit symptoms of, dairy intolerance generally go about their eating practices under the guidance of nutritionists and follow strict diets to avoid symptoms. Some places however, pose more danger to lactose intolerants and wherein extra caution must be observed.

• Coffee shops – specialty coffees are often served with milk, creamers or whipped cream toppings. Even nondairy creamers have ingredients derived from milk and consequently contain lactose.

• Ice cream shops – ice cream is typically made from cow’s milk, which has lactose.

• Bake shops – bread and bakery products are often made with milk or whey protein

• Bars – lactose can be found even on non-dairy products, such as beer

• Breakfast and dinner buffets in restaurants, brunches and hotels – buffet tables serve a wide variety of food to a large number of people, and would reasonably take into less consideration the dietary restrictions of every guest.

• Airliners and cruise liners – while passengers of airlines and cruise ships can opt for “special meals” – meals prepared with low lactose ingredients – unfortunately not everyone is aware of such options and are left to consume the same food as normal passengers.

• Food consumed abroad – while the most vigilant lactose intolerant people look religiously at labels, such may very well be misrepresented by language barriers. Lactose content may not at all be made known to people who eat exotic foods and street foods on travels out of the country, so as to limit the suffering due to symptoms of dairy intolerance.