Lactose Intolerance Diet

If you have developed symptoms such as nausea, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain you may be suffering from lactose intolerance. A lactose intolerance diet, in which you eliminate foods containing lactose, may help to relieve the symptoms. This is not a serious condition, rather an uncomfortable nuisance and is caused by an inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and products made from milk. If you think you may be lactose intolerant then see your doctor who can make a diagnosis.

In an adult a hydrogen breath test can be performed. A drink, high in lactose, is consumed and the breath tested for hydrogen. Normally there will be very little hydrogen in the breath but if lactose is undigested due to a lack of the enzyme lactase hydrogen is produced. As some medicines, smoking and some foods can interfere with the test you will need to check before the test with your doctor.

An alternative test is a lactose intolerance blood test. After drinking a lactose solution several blood test are taken over two hours. The level of glucose, which is produced when lactose is digested, is measured.

What causes lactose intolerance?

The body does not make enough of the enzyme lactase which is needed to digest lactose. It is an inherited condition which varies a great deal between races. The Chinese, Native Americans and South East Asians have the highest incidence at almost 100% while other races have various rates. See Lactose Intolerance by Group for a complete list.

Do I need to eliminate all lactose containing foods?

The degree of intolerance varies widely with some people having to eliminate all lactose from their diets, while most people can tolerate small amounts. You will have to experiment and find out your own tolerance level.

What does a lactose intolerance diet consist of?

You will have to avoid foods that contain lactose. This includes, of course, milk but also any product that contains milk so you'll need to check labels on any packaged foods you eat. A surprising number of packaged foods contain milk including bread, baked goods, instant potatoes, salad dressing, meal replacement bars, whipped toppings, coffee creamers and instant soups. When looking at labels you should not just see if they contain milk but also check for whey, milk by-products, curds, non-fat milk powder and, of course, lactose itself.

What else should I look for?

If you are taking a prescription medicine you may fins that it contains lactose. Some over the counter medicines such as indigestion and gas remedies can contain lactose. Taking a medicine for the bloating and flatulence symptoms that contains lactose will only make your problem worse! Some birth control pills and some cholesterol lowering medications also contain lactose.

Choosing a lactose intolerance diet

You should of course avoid milk that contains but there are products available that are lactose free such as Lactaid milk (available in the US) or Lactofree (available in the UK). You may think that you will have to avoid cheese but this is not the case. When hard cheeses are made the whey that is removed contains the lactose so the final product is almost lactose free. The small amount remaining is converted to lactic acid on maturing. So you can continue to enjoy your favorite cheese!

Most people that are lactose intolerant can digest yogurt as lactase is produced by the bacteria that it contains as long as you choose probiotic or live yogurt. If the yogurt is frozen however the bacteria will no longer produce this enzyme.

If you do cut down on dairy products rather than using substitutes such as lactose free milk then you will need to make sure you have enough vitamin D and calcium in your diet. Sources of vitamin D include eggs and liver and calcium is present in foods such as oranges, sardines, spinach, leafy green vegetables and fish such as tuna and salmon.

Should you use lactase tablets?

If you cannot avoid consuming foods or medicines that contain lactose then you can take a lactase tablet with the food to help you digest it. You need to take one or two tablets before eating the food or with a tablet that contains lactose. Lactase tablets are widely available in health food shops and pharmacies.

If you have any of the symptoms described here please see your doctor so that he can eliminate any other causes and make a diagnosis. Lactose intolerance is not serious but does produce some uncomfortable and embarrassing symptoms. These can be completely controlled by following a lactose intolerance diet as outlined above. You will have to carefully read labels on foods and find out your own tolerance level. For the occasional treat tablets containing the lactase enzyme can be useful and if you must take a medicine that contains lactase can help to keep the symptoms under control.

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