STORY BYAfter dipping into your bovine-friendly refrigerator stocked with your favorite dairy products, does your stomach raise a ruckus? While this may mean you are suffering from lactose intolerance, don't have a cow over it.
"Lactose intolerance, or LI, is fairly easy to treat and manage, meaning you can usually control symptoms through diet," explains Dr. Marilyn Edwards, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and a nutrition specialist at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
If you can't drink milk or eat dairy products without getting an upset stomach, you are not alone. Approximately 30-50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, meaning they have a deficiency in lactase, the enzyme required to digest and absorb milk sugar, or lactose.
Lactose Intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the predominant sugar found in milk and other dairy products. If you do not manufacture enough of the enzyme lactase to digest the lactose consumed, the results may be, shall we say, uncomfortable.
Did you ever feel like you have a "rumbly in my tummy" as Winnie the Pooh says?
Symptoms of LI include abdominal discomfort, such as severe bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhea. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, depending on the amount of lactose ingested, and may occur from 30 minutes to a few hours after eating.
Folks will differ in the amount and type of foods they can tolerate. One person may have symptoms after a small glass of milk and another individual may be fine after one glass, but reach misery after two glasses.
"LI has been around for centuries," Edwards says, "and for most people, this condition develops naturally over time."
The highest frequency of LI occurs in the populations of African descent, native Mexicans, Hispanics, Asians, Jews and Arabs. The prevalence among North American Caucasians is very low, approximately 6-12 percent.
The most common diagnostic tests are the lactose tolerance test, hydrogen breath test and stool acidity test, done on an outpatient basis. The lactose tolerance and hydrogen breath tests are not administered to infants and children, but if necessary, the stool acidity test (measuring the amount of acid in the stool) may be recommended.
Here's a simple test to see if you have LI: stop drinking milk or eating any dairy products for at least two weeks. If your symptoms improve after the two-week period, you can ease back into dairy foods. Drink a little milk or eat some cheese - then see if symptoms occur.
Your diet is a good way to learn how much lactose you can handle.
It's okay to:
"Surprisingly, yogurt is sometimes better tolerated than milk," Edwards adds. "The bacterial cultures in yogurt have some of the lactase enzyme necessary for good digestion. However, frozen yogurt has little or no lactase activity." Beware of processed cheese or cheese foods that have nonfat dry milk solids.
Sometimes lactose doesn't wear a cow bell to let you know it's coming. People who are highly sensitive to lactose need to investigate the most minute amounts in certain prepared foods.
Here are a few of the sneakier ways lactose can creep into your diet:
Even some foods labeled as nondairy-coffee creamers, whipped cream-may have some ingredients that are derived from milk products.
Savvy sufferers have learned to read labels carefully. "See if dry milk solids or other lactose-containing components are included," Dr. Edwards recommends. "Some medications contain lactose fillers which can potentially trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals."
Because milk and other dairy products are a primary source of calcium, you may be concerned about not getting enough. Nondairy foods that are calcium-rich include green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, and seafood, such as salmon and sardines.
Edwards suggests that it may be helpful to consult your physician or a dietician to discuss appropriate nutrition.
Lactose-hydrolyzed milk, Lact-Aid, Lactrase, or Dairy-Ease can be used in place of regular milk. There is a non-prescriptive lactase enzyme tablet or liquid that helps individuals digest foods with lactose. The tablet is taken with your first bite of food, and for many individuals, this provides an effective tool to ease LI symptoms.
Just remember that the next time you get a "rumbly in your tumbly" you may have to consider adjusting your cow-friendly lifestyle.
Last Updated: 2-26-2004Editorial Board | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy & Security | Contact Us
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Dr. Marilyn Edwards is an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and a nutrition specialist at the UT Medical School.
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Packing Bag Lunches Safely
If you pack lunches for your child to take to school, be careful that you do not accidentally expose them to foodborne illness.
Bagged lunches, especially those containing perishable foods, need to be packed and handled properly in order to keep the food safe. In general, perishable foods should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If left out too long, the temperature of the food can enter the danger zone where bacteria grow most rapidly, which is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Below are some tips to help families pack bagged lunches safely:
Before eating lunch or snacks at school, make sure your child washes his or her hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If your child's school does not have a handwashing program in place, encourage them to adopt a such a program, as handwashing is one of the best ways kids and parents can protect health and stop the spread of germs.
