What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance is a common condition in which the body of an adult or child does not produce a sufficient amount of the enzyme lactase, which is necessary to break down milk sugar. This condition is not an allergic disease, but it causes significant physical discomfort after consuming dairy products.
The main characteristics and features of lactose intolerance manifestations can be described as follows:
The degree of lactase deficiency can change with age or against the background of past intestinal infections, when temporary secondary lactase deficiency develops. In this case, after the intestinal mucosa recovers, the ability to digest dairy products may partially return.
To improve your quality of life with confirmed lactose intolerance, keep a food diary and track the body's reaction to different types of dairy products. Fermented milk products, cottage cheese, and aged cheeses contain a minimal amount of lactose and are therefore usually tolerated much better than whole milk.