Could You Have Lactose Intolerance? Thirty minutes has passed since you ate a bowl of ice cream, and now your stomach is cramping and you feel like you might have diarrhea. Does this sound like you? What if you substitute ice cream for milk, mashed potatoes, or even certain candies, and increase the time range to up to 2 hours later. Now does it sound like you? If either is true, you could have lactose intolerance. Lactose is the main sugar in milk and most other dairy products. Your small intestine makes the enzyme lactase to help you digest that sugar. When youre lactose intolerant, you dont make enough lactase for good digestion. You cant cure lactose intolerance but you can make changes in what and how you eat to reduce its symptoms. Check Your Symptoms Millions of Americans have the uncomfortable and often embarrassing symptoms of lactose intolerance. Bloating Cramps Diarrhea Painful gas Nausea Use trial and error to understand what foods cause symptoms, and in what amount, or you may want to see your doctor for an official diagnosis. You may be sensitive to small amounts of lactose-containing foods, or you may be able to eat a larger amount before you have symptoms. Your symptoms may be severe or mild. Everyone with lactose intolerance is different. Identify the Culprits (Hint: It may not just be dairy.) Milk and dairy products are the most popularly recognized as having lactose. To help prevent symptoms from lactose intolerance, read food product labels carefully. When shopping or cooking, look for these lactose-containing ingredients: Curds Dry milk solids Lactose Milk Milk byproducts Nonfat dry milk powder Whey If you are extremely sensitive to lactose, you may need to avoid products such as: Baked goods Bread, baking, and pancake mixes Breakfast cereals Certain types of candy, such as milk chocolate Instant foods (breakfast drink mixes, mashed potatoes, soups, and meal replacement drinks) Margarine Nondairy creamers (liquid and powdered) Nondairy whipped topping Processed meats (bacon, hot dogs, sausage, and lunch meats) Protein and meal replacement bars Salad dressing Getting a Diagnosis Your doctor may ask you to keep a diary of the foods you eat, to note when you experience symptoms, and to stop eating an offending food to see if your symptoms disappear. To make a diagnosis, some doctors simply evaluate your symptoms and whether avoiding dairy products for two weeks relieves your symptoms. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor needs to do other tests. Milk Challenge Test: This is typically the first test doctors recommend. You fast overnight and drink a glass of milk in the morning. Then you dont eat anything else for 3 to 5 hours. If youre lactose intolerant, youll have symptoms within 2 hours. If the milk challenge test indicates you may have lactose intolerance, your doctor may do one of the following tests to confirm the diagnosis. Hydrogen Breath Test: Normally you have very little hydrogen in your breath. If your body does not digest lactose, though, the levels of hydrogen build in your intestines and eventually hydrogen is in your breath. The test measures the amount of hydrogen in your breath after you drink a lactose-loaded beverage several times during a few hours. If your levels are high 3 to 5 hours later, your body is not digesting lactose properly. Lactose Tolerance Test: This blood test measures the amount of glucose in your blood. When your body breaks down lactose, it releases glucose into your blood. After you have fasted, a small sample of your blood is taken. Then, you drink a liquid that is high in lactose. Two hours later, you give another blood sample. Because lactose causes blood glucose levels to rise, glucose levels in the second sample should be higher. If they arent, your body hasnt digested the lactose. Stool Acidity Test: Doctors use this test to check an infant or child for lactose intolerance. (Its very rare in infants.) First, your child drinks a liquid with high levels of lactose in it. Then, your childs doctor takes a small stool sample. The doctor checks the acidity level. If it’s acidic, your child may have lactose intolerance. Intestinal Biopsy: The most direct test for lactose intolerance is a biopsy of the intestinal lining to measure lactase levels. However, since this is an invasive procedure, doctors dont usually measure lactase like this except for research purposes where the required specialized analysis is available. How to Manage Lactose Intolerance You cant change how well your body digests lactose, but you can reduce or even eliminate the symptoms you have from lactose intolerance. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian who can help you plan a healthy diet that keeps you feeling good. Keep a food diary to help you learn how much, if any, dairy you can eat without having symptoms. Many people do not need to stop eating dairy completely. Making small changes in what you eat can often help prevent symptoms by helping your body digest dairy foods more easily. Dont eat dairy alone. Its easier for your body to digest lactose when you eat it with other foods. So incorporate small amounts of milk or dairy foods with meals. Choose the easier-to-digest dairy products. Some people find it easier to digest certain dairy products, including cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Use lactose-free or reduced-lactose milk and dairy products. Many supermarkets offer dairy products that have removed most of the lactose or added the lactase enzyme. Switch to dairy-free products. There are many alternatives to dairy, such as almond, rice, or soy milk. Special note about infants and young children: When a child has symptoms of lactose intolerance, many pediatricians recommend changing from a cows milk formula to a soy milk formula until the symptoms disappear, then slowly reintroducing milk and dairy products. Take a lactase enzyme replacement. These are available over-the-counter in tablets, caplets, or liquids. Take the recommended amount with your first drink or bite of dairy to help prevent lactose intolerance symptoms.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 11:18:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015