Lactose intolerance

What is lactose intolerance?

Let’s start with the definition of lactose intolerance: “partial or total inability to digest lactose, which may result in abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhoea after consuming milk and other dairy products and is caused by deficiency of the enzyme lactase.” If you suffer from lactose intolerance, this means there is a shortage of the lactase enzyme or the enzyme is missing completely. But what does lactose intolerance mean exactly? In simple terms, without lactase, lactose disaccharide cannot be split and absorbed in the small intestine.

When lactose is not digested properly, it ends up in the large intestine where the intestinal bacteria try to break it down through fermentation. This process can lead to unpleasant intestinal complaints, these complaints are associated with people who are lactose in tolerant.

This video shows what lactose intolerance is.

Different kinds of lactose intolerance

There are different types of lactose intolerance, each with different causes. The most common is primary lactose intolerance, where lactase production decreases with age. This form of lactose intolerance can begin as early as age three. In Northern Europe, about 1 in 10 people are affected by primary lactose intolerance, while in regions like Asia, Africa, and America, up to 80% of the population is lactose intolerant.

The second type, secondary lactose intolerance, occurs due to an acute issue like an intestinal infection or surgery, which can reduce lactase production. Fortunately, this type can be temporary, as lactase production may resume once the intestines recover.

The third and rarest type is congenital lactose intolerance. This is a genetic condition where the body lacks lactase from birth, meaning infants cannot digest breast milk due to the presence of lactose disaccharide. This condition will persist for life.

The difference between lactose intolerance and a cow’s milk allergy

It’s important to differentiate between lactose intolerance and a cow’s milk protein allergy. In lactose intolerance, the body cannot properly digest lactose disaccharide—a non-allergic hypersensitivity. On the other hand, a cow’s milk protein allergy involves an immune reaction to the proteins in milk. While both may cause digestive symptoms, the underlying causes are different.

Which foods contain lactose?

Most commonly found in milk, lactose can also be found in several other foods. Below you will find the most common products containing lactose. Not every product contains the same amount of lactose, and the products that cannot be tolerated can vary from person to person.

• Milk and dairy products such as yogurt, custard, and quark
• Cheese (especially fresh cheeses such as cream cheese and cottage cheese)
• Cookies and cakes
• Ice cream and milkshakes
• Whipped cream and other types of cream
• Butter

In addition, there are a lot of other products that contain lactose, but often in such small amounts that most people can still tolerate it. If your body does not produce any lactase enzyme, it is possible that very small amounts of lactose can cause symptoms. This can happen, for example, with certain types of medication that contain a small amount of lactose.

Note: even ‘lactose-free’ (dairy) products often contain a small amount of lactose. If you have severe reactions to lactose, you may still experience symptoms.

How do you recognize lactose intolerance?

Complaints associated with lactose intolerance are caused by the fermentation process in the colon. During this process, in which the intestinal bacteria try to break down the undigested lactose, moisture is attracted and gas can be released. This can cause you to suffer from unpleasant intestinal symptoms. The most common complaints and symptoms of lactose intolerance are:

• A bloated belly
• Congestion (obstipation)
• Diarrhea
• Intestinal cramps
• Flatulence

Complaints such as nausea and fatigue may also occur. The type of symptoms and degree of discomfort is different for each person. You can also do a intolerance test or check our lactose products.

What you can do about lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance can not be cured and therefore stays with you all your life. Fortunately, it is easy to live with and you can do a lot to reduce your symptoms. There are also a number of useful tools that help you to enjoy food again, even if it contains lactose.

1. Dietary solutions

The first and most obvious solution to lactose intolerance is a lactose-free or lactose-poor diet. Using this method, you would eat as few products containing lactose as possible to prevent symptoms. You can choose lactose-free or plant-based alternatives. If you can still tolerate a small amount of lactose, it is usually sufficient to avoid foods rich in lactose. If you react to small amounts of lactose, then a completely lactose-free diet is a better option. A dietitian can help you make choices about a lactose-free or low-lactose diet.

2. Supplements

The elimination of lactose from your diet can sometimes be quite difficult and also quite restrictive. For example, if you eat out or just fancy something tasty that contains lactose, such as a pastry or ice cream. In that case, a supplement can help you releve symptoms.* There are supplements in tablet or capsule form that contain the lactase enzyme. You take them during the lactose-containing meal so that you can still digest the lactose. Besides capsules and tablets with the lactase enzyme, there are also drops with liquid lactase. With these drops, you can make liquid dairy products lactose-free, to cook with, for example. Finally, there are also probiotics with lactase-producing characteristics that you can take if you are lactose intolerant. In this way, your body can still produce lactase in the intestines so that you can better digest lactose.*

Our supplements for lactose intolerance help you digest lactose from dairy products.* Not sure if you are lactose intolerant? Do the intolerance test for more information!