Lactose intolerance
1980
The enzyme lactase acts on lactose to produce glucase and galactase; if the enzyme is present in insufficient quantities, the remaining lactose may cause bloating and cramps or diarrhea and flatus. Lactase absence may be inherited, though it is rare; more common is a genetic disorder characterized by an adequate amount of lactase in infancy, which decreases with age; a third form results from bowel damage, usually after acute infectious diarrhea. It is necessary to differentiate intolerance from deficiency: the former is a clinical diagnosis, while the latter is a tissue biopsy diagnosis. Malabsorption is determined by a laboratory test. Most people can tolerate a small amount of milk, especially taken with food. Alternatives include milk with lactose additive, lactose-hydrolyzed milk or sweet acidophilus milk. Commercially produced yoghurt, however, contains added lactose as do many pharmaceutical products.
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