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What you need to know about lactose intolerance
At birth, says Dr. Douglas Seidner, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, most e' to digest milk sugars. At age five, though, those who go on to develop lactose intolerar produce smaller amounts of lactase in their body; eventually, there isn't enough of the found on the intestinal surface. No one knows for certain why some people become inti others don't, although there's a strong genetic component to the condition. Some rese; that ali humans were once lactose intolerant, and that "lactase persistence" may have after people domesticated animals and began drinking their milk.
While anecdotes proliferate linking lactose intolerance to gastroesophageal reflux disea often characterized by severe heartburn, experts say there's no causal link between thi never heard about people with lactose intolerance being more predisposed to GERD," s Jaffe, associate professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center. S says, patients mistake the bloating they feel after consuming milk products for heartbu bloating that's localized in the intestinal area, not the upper stomach and chest where manifests itself.
However, lactose intolerance is commonly confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS disorder in which the large intestines malfunction. "Lactose intolerance is one of the go IBS," says Jaffe. The symptoms are simitar, and some patients mistake one disorder fo
Diagnosing a problem
The simplest and most common way to diagnose is by exclusion, says Seidner. "We tel avoid dairy products for a period and then reintroduce it slowly to see what they expen
While some sufferers self-diagnose, Seidner says it's best to consult with your physicia be other food ingredients that could be causing you problems.
Digestive-disease experts also frequently employ the hydrogen breath test. In this out| procedure, patients curb their intake of dairy foods and then drink a beverage loaded v Afterward, they blow into a balloon-like contraption; the exhaled air is evaluated for int of hydrogen, which usually exist if the patients are intolerant.
In rare instances, doctors use a stool test to measure acidity. But, says Seidner, "this t specific." Consequently, it's now rarely relied on to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.
Prevention and management
While people newly diagnosed with lactose intolerance may be tempted to forgo dairy e doctors say there's no reason to do so. For one, the food group is high in calcium, a nu essential for maintaining bone health especially in women who are at a higher risk f< osteoporosis. Also, most peopie who are intolerant can handle a certain amount of lact< systems; determining just how much or how little can be achieved by simple trial "Most people can get away with eating smaller portions," says Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Rather than skip dairy products altogether, pay attention to what Gerbstadt calls "lacto is a frequently cited culprit, but ice cream may be the hardest to process, as it's high n lactose but also in fat, which can irritate the digestive system. If you must indulge, yoi adding lactase, an additive available at most drugstores and health-food stores, in youi Lactose-reduced products, such as Lactaid milk, are also readily accessible at local sup' Yogurt and cheese, especially hard cheese such as Parmesan and Romano, are easiest gastrointestinal system because they contain only small amounts of lactose. Be sure to which will tell you how much, if any, lactose is present; ask the staff at restaurants abt ingredients in the dishes they serve. "Most people don't realize restaurants add butter" rich in lactose "to everything," says Wheadon.
If you're severely lactose intolerant (which is quite rare) and must avoid dairy product; sure to incorporate calcium-rich foods in your diet, such as calcium-fortified orange jui< tofu, almonds and green vegetables. "It's not easy for the body to absorb calcium from sources, however," cautions Gerbstadt, so eat as much of them as you can.
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