The one has Lactose intolerance means you can not digest foods containing lactose, and if swallowed may suffer an upset stomach and symptoms such as gas, diarrhea, and inflammation of the stomach.

For if you do not know, lactose is a sugar like fructose, the former is present in milk and the second in fruits. So no matter the type of milk consumed either cow, goat, sheep or human, all contain a greater or lesser proportion of lactose.

Lactose Intolerance Foods

Many foods that use milk are all likely to cause side effects in people with Lactose intolerance.

From the scientific point of view, the lactose is a disaccharide formed by the union of one glucose and one galactose. For a person to process lactose need your small intestine produce enough lactase enzymes, which are responsible for the separation process for both molecules can be absorbed by our body.

Lactose intoleranceIn short, there is a serious problem, indeed one can consume small amounts of lactose intolerance products and even take some pills or drops that help digest lactose. They need to include lactose intolerance pills to their lactose intolerance diet.

Interestingly there is what is known as primary genetic intolerance or intolerance to lactose, People whose body is genetically prepared to process lactose as their ancestors and their culture probably had no milk in his usual ingredients.

This is the case for example of Thai, Central African, Mexican or an Eskimo, four examples of cultures far removed from each other, yet they all have in common is that their societies have the rates of people with Lactose intolerance (Over 80% of the population) in the case of the Thai people talking about almost a hundred percent of the population are intolerant to milk of mammals.

To diagnose Lactose intolerance, Doctors use one of these methods:

* Blood, after giving 100 g of lactose patient waits for this place to check digestion by increasing the blood glucose level.
* Test of hydrogen in the breath, lactose also given to the patient, if they increase the levels of hydrogen in the breath is because the intestines do not process it correctly.
* Small bowel biopsy, the goal is to extract a sample of intestinal tissue to be analyzed in the laboratory for enzyme lactase.

Lactase enzyme

Lactase is a ferment or enzyme that facilitates the breakdown of the lactose molecule. Lactase would be present in adequate amounts in the small intestine. Thus, when a person ingests milk, the lactose in the intestine they suffer the action of lactase degraded. However, in some people, this enzyme is present in an amount insufficient or nonexistent. The result is that undigested lactose can not be absorbed and pass into the blood for use, passing through the digestive tract and the individual. The body reacts to it by providing water to dilute your presence. Furthermore, the intestinal flora (formed by numerous bacteria in our intestines naturally), they are in a beautiful and sweet lactose nutrient. So the person who has not digest lactose (ie, a bigot to it), undergoes fermentation processes that bacteria carried on sugar and the effects of waste digestion.

Signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance

People with Lactose intolerance suffer different symptoms. These symptoms of lactose intolerance can range from nausea, abdominal pain, swelling and bloating to flatulence and abdominal gas. The severity of symptoms depends on the degree of intolerance who has the person and the amount of lactose ingested. The affected person often tends to stop drinking milk and other dairy products including, as a major side effect of Lactose intolerance is the possible occurrence of nutritional problems related to lack of calcium, one of the essential nutrients of milk. Fortunately, there are market dairy products such as Leche Pascual Lactose to facilitate the proper nutrition for people intolerant.

Types of Lactose Intolerance

Primary Intolerance
One of the most common reasons of losing lactase is a genetic and biological basis. Thus, intolerance is very rare in infants and children under three years of age and to be increased after this age.

Genetic intolerance
People who suffer lack of lactase in their body have genetic origin, including infants. Formerly, when the cause was unknown, could be very serious. Fortunately, their occurrence is very rare and infrequent.

Secondary Intolerance
Another common reason for intolerance is a temporary lack of lactase because the bowel has undergone some aggression, for example, diarrheal diseases, other intolerances such as gluten, etc.. This type of intolerance is temporary and recoverable because when the problem ceases intestinal recovers the production of lactase and, therefore, can return to using normal foods that contain lactose.

Incidence and risk factors

There is a clear relationship between having lactose intolerance and milk drinking habits because of the farming tradition in some countries. The populations accustomed to the consumption of milk from animals have fewer cases of lactose intolerance. Are the Mediterranean, Baltic, Asian and especially African and Native Americans the highest prevalence of lactose intolerance (around 90%). In Spain the prevalence of lactose intolerance is about 40%, since many cases are not diagnosed1. It is important to the diagnosis of lactose intolerance because the lactase enzyme is one of the most delicate and vulnerable intestinal and if an undiagnosed intolerance continues to take lactose, will worsen the problem, so it is advisable to go to the specialist health if you have any of the symptoms described.

Lactose intolerance test

There are different systems to test for lactose intolerance that a physician may recommend. Among them we can mention the following:

Breath hydrogen test
When there is intolerance to lactose be metabolized by intestinal bacteria produces hydrogen gas at higher levels than normal. This test is based on the patient to eat a certain amount of lactose and exhale air from time to time to analyze in the presence of hydrogen.

Test of tolerance to lactose.
This lactose intolerance test is based on eliminating from the diet for a period of time the products that may contain lactose, including milk. Once the intolerance symptoms have disappeared, reintroducing milk to confirm the new onset of symptoms. Other times, lactose is provided fasting, in a solution in water, and then analyzed the feces for the presence of undigested lactose and other waste substances result of its metabolism through the intestinal flora, lactic acid and various fatty acids.

Small bowel biopsy
Involves taking a sample of the intestinal villi which would normally take place the production of lactase for further analysis and confirmation or otherwise of their presence. It is necessary to perform an endoscopy (the patient’s mouth) that makes a test uncomfortable.

Test the acidity of the stool
This detection method measures the presence of acids produced in the stool following the ingestion of lactose and no digestion.

Lactose intolerance treatment

In the case of lactose intolerance treatment, it is fundamentally important not to eliminate dairy products because of the importance of nutrients that we provide. The person must accustom himself to handle his power to eliminate or reduce the risk of ingesting large amounts of lactose in the diet both at home and outside it. Thus, buying food in a smart and responsible is a basic option which includes carefully read food labels and choose from trusted manufacturers such as Pascual. In the case of diabetes, lactose-free milk is similar in nutritional value of drinking milk. The diabetic follow the nutritional advice of your doctor how to treat lactose intolerance.