Milk is well digested. Myths about dairy products through the eyes of a doctor

Milk intolerance in humans is associated with the inability of the body to digest and absorb milk sugar (lactose). There are two types of lactose deficiency: acquired and congenital. In adults, it may appear at any age.

Acquired lactose intolerance occurs in adults and is of 2 types:

1. Primary, which is justified by a decrease in enzyme activity.
2. Secondary - associated with damage to intestinal enterocytes.

For the breakdown of milk sugar found in dairy products, the enzyme of the small intestinal tract, lactase, is responsible.

During normal digestion, lactose in the gastrointestinal tract is broken down by an enzyme into galactose and glucose. In this form, the components are perfectly absorbed in the intestinal tract and do not cause discomfort.

For your information! The enzyme lactase is actively produced by the body in the first years of life. With age, its creation decreases.

The rate of decline in enzyme activity is largely determined by ethnicity. The spectrum has huge fluctuations. So, the residents

• In Denmark, lactose intolerance among adults occurs in 3 people from,
• Russia - an average of 16 to 30 people from,
• African-American ethnic group - almost people from

With a deficiency of the enzyme, milk sugar in an unsplit form enters the large intestinal tract, causing fermentation and increased gas formation.

These symptoms are indicative of lactose intolerance.

The following diseases can provoke milk intolerance:

• flu;
• the use of antibiotics;
• surgical interventions in the digestive tract;
• intestinal infection of a bacterial or viral nature;
• celiac;
• Crohn's disease and other diseases of the small intestine;
• Gastroenteritis and other diseases that lead to atrophy of the villi of the small intestine;
• colitis (ulcerative).

Milk intolerance can manifest itself as discomfort after eating, for example, ice cream, cottage cheese or cheese.

Intolerance makes itself felt by such manifestations of varying intensity:

• diarrhea;
• spasms;
• nausea;
• bloating;
• increased gas formation;
• other signs, some of which may not be specific.

Partial intolerance.

Depending on the level of lactose deficiency in the lumen of the intestinal tract, the degree of lactose deficiency may have a different degree. This affects the manifestation of symptoms. Flatulence can be completely insignificant or manifest as severe swelling, supplemented by other symptoms.

Complete intolerance. Manifestations in the form of osmotic diarrhea after taking lactose-containing products. The manifestation is frequent watery stools with a repulsive sour odor.

In addition to milk intolerance, there may be an allergy to milk-containing products. According to statistics, 2 of the people are specifically allergic to milk.

Symptoms of a food allergy manifest themselves soon after consumption of the product, in contrast to intolerance, which manifests itself only after an hour.

Allergies can give the following symptoms:

• suffocation;
• rash on the body;
• swelling of the tongue.

Not always the patient can establish a connection between milk intake and the manifestation of symptoms.

Diagnostic methods:

1. Diet diagnostics.

   One of the clinical tests can be an analysis of a person's well-being after taking lactose-containing products and when they are excluded.

2. Analysis of feces for pH. Normally, it should be at least 5.5. With impaired absorption of lactose, it decreases.
3. Analysis of feces for carbohydrates (in adults they should be absent).
4. The method of carbon dioxide markers in exhaled air. To conduct the test, the lactose consumed by the examined patient must be labeled.
5. Sugar analysis.

   A blood test is taken 2 times - on an empty stomach and after drinking a glass of milk. In a healthy person, the sugar level should jump up sharply, and if splitting is disturbed, the characteristics may not actually change.

6. Determination of galactose in urine analysis using biochemical tests.

The main direction of treatment of lactose intolerance in adults is dietary adjustment. In the case of a severe form, no more than 1 gram of milk sugar can enter the body. With moderate enzyme deficiency - no more than 10 grams.

The choice of food products is based on two indicators:

• the amount of lactose-containing food that will enter the body;
• lactose in it.

Advice! Products containing lactose are recommended to be consumed in conjunction with others, this will slow down the passage through the intestinal tract and give more time for the breakdown of lactose.

Lactose is found in the following foods:

• dairy products;
• condensed milk;
• semi-finished products;
• candies;
• sausages;
• ice cream;
• mustard;
• chocolate;
• instant puree in sachets;
• mayonnaise;
• ketchup;
• bakery products.

For adults suffering from lactose intolerance, doctors recommend replacing regular milk with products that include lactose in insignificant amounts:

• dairy products;
• low-lactose (lactose-free) milk, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Measures needed include:

• refusal to consume condensed milk;
• exclusion from the diet of confectionery products with milk sugar;
• taking pharmaceutical drugs with lactose is contraindicated.

With a significant reduction in milk consumption or refusal of it, it is recommended to include in the diet such products that allow you to replenish calcium in the diet:

• almond;
• cereal crops;
• broccoli;
• canned fish (sardines, salmon and tuna),

For your information! If it is impossible to replace dairy products with low-lactose ones, lactase preparations may be prescribed.

With a secondary nature of the task, the patient needs to undergo therapy for the underlying disease.

Immediately with healing, an appropriate diet must be observed. With recovery, the diet will expand evenly. It will be possible to introduce dairy products, monitoring the condition and passing a stool test. After treatment with bactericidal products, a person is prescribed medications containing beneficial lactobacilli.

Among the favorite drugs:

Existing milk intolerance may not give negative complications and unpleasant feelings if you follow an appropriate diet and follow the doctor's recommendations.

2 methods: Symptoms of lactose intolerance Confirmation of the diagnosis

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, which is the main sugar found in milk and dairy products.

Lactose intolerance is caused by a complete absence or deficiency of lactase, an enzyme needed to break down lactose in the small intestinal tract. This condition is not life-threatening, but can cause indigestion and gastrointestinal discomfort (bloating, pain, flatulence) and limit food choices. Almost all adults suffer from lactose intolerance, while they do not have other diseases. But remember that certain diseases can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract, so it is extremely important to distinguish the symptoms of these diseases from the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance

As with other illnesses, it is sometimes difficult to recognize whether your feelings are extraordinary.

For example, if a person constantly experiences discomfort after eating, he considers this his usual state, and it seems to him that everything is exactly the same for everyone. But bloating, flatulence, colic, nausea or diarrhea after eating are not the norm - all these symptoms indicate problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Almost all diseases of the gastrointestinal tract have similar symptoms, so making a diagnosis is sometimes difficult. The first step is to acknowledge that your post-eating feelings are not normal and can be prevented.

• Lactase breaks down lactose into the two most common sugars, glucose and galactose, which are absorbed in the small intestine and used by the body as energy.
• Not all people with lactose intolerance have symptoms of problems with the stomach or intestinal tract. Their bodies produce a small amount of lactase, which is sufficient for the digestion of dairy products.

The main symptoms of lactose intolerance (bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea) appear, as a rule, within minutes after eating or drinking drinks with lactose.

Therefore, you should try to find the connection between the symptoms and the use of dairy products.

Eat a lactose-free breakfast in the morning (read the ingredients on the package if you're not sure) and evaluate how you feel. In the afternoon, eat something with lactose, such as cheese, yogurt, and/or milk. If you notice significant changes in feelings, you may have lactose intolerance.

• If your tummy is bloated and gas is produced after both meals, this will mean that you most likely have a stomach or intestinal tract disease (for example, inflammation of the intestinal tract or Crohn's disease).
• If you feel great after both meals, it is possible that you have a food allergy or intolerance to another food.
• This method is traditionally referred to as an elimination diet: you eliminate dairy products from your own diet to find which substances are causing the reaction.

Lactose intolerance is an enzyme deficiency disorder that causes undigested sugar (lactose) to accumulate in the large intestine.

Once it's there, the bacteria living in the intestinal tract begin to consume sugar and create hydrogen and little methane, which is a prerequisite for bloating and flatulence.

A milk allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to dairy products. Most often, it occurs in the first minutes of contact with casein or whey.

Symptoms of a milk allergy include wheezing, a severe rash, swelling of the lips, mouth, and throat, runny nose, watery eyes, vomiting, and difficulty digesting food.

• Cow's milk allergy is one of the most common allergies among children.
• As a rule, cow's milk causes a reaction, but goat's, sheep's and other mammals' milk can also be the cause of an allergy.
• Adults with hay fever or food allergies to other foods are most likely to have an unwanted reaction to milk.

Although there is less lactase in the small intestinal tract with age, its amount is also linked to genetics.

In some ethnic groups, lactose intolerance is even more common. For example, about 90% of Asians and 80% of African Americans and Native Americans have this feature.

Less often, lactose intolerance occurs in northern European peoples. If you belong to an ethnic group with an increased risk of this disease and experience discomfort after eating, the possibility is high that you have lactose intolerance.

• Lactose intolerance is occasionally seen in babies and toddlers of all nationalities. This problem traditionally manifests itself in the most mature age.
• However, in babies born prematurely, the ability to produce lactase may be reduced, as the gastrointestinal tract is not yet fully formed.

Proof of diagnosis

This is the most common method for determining lactose intolerance.

This test is done in a hospital or medical center, but is traditionally done only after you try to eliminate milk from your diet.

You will be asked to drink a small amount of lactose (25 grams), and then the doctor will measure the amount of hydrogen in your breath several times (every 30 minutes). In a person whose body can break down lactose, not enough hydrogen will be released or it will not be at all. If a person has lactose intolerance, there will be even more hydrogen, since sugar is fermented in the intestinal tract with the participation of microbes that produce this gas.

• This is a successful method of diagnosing intolerance, which gives clear results.
• You will have to stop smoking and not eating in the morning for a while.
• If a person consumes a lot of lactose, the result may be false positive due to the huge number of microbes in the intestine.

The analysis allows you to evaluate the body's response to the consumption of a huge amount of lactose (usually 50 grams).

First, fasting blood glucose levels are measured, and then an hour after lactose intake. If your blood sugar doesn't increase 20 grams per deciliter more than your fasting value, your body can't digest and absorb lactose.

• This analysis is the oldest method for diagnosing lactose intolerance. It is given even less frequently than the breath test, but it can also be useful.
• The glucose and lactose test has a sensitivity of 75% and an accuracy of 96%.
• A false negative result is possible with diabetes and an overestimated content of microbes in the intestine.

Undigested lactose forms lactic acid and other fatty acids in the intestinal tract, which are excreted in the feces.

A fecal acid test is traditionally given to young children and can be used to find acid in the stool.

The child is given a small amount of lactose, and then the analysis is taken several times in turn. A small baby may also have glucose in the stool because the lactose has not been digested.

• This test is suitable for children who cannot pass the rest of the tests for diagnosing lactose intolerance.
• Despite the effectiveness of this analysis, the exhalation analysis is more often used, since it is simpler and more convenient.

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Lactose is a carbohydrate found in almost all foods. Once in the body, with the help of enzymes, it breaks down into the most common substances: glucose and galactose.

The main enzyme responsible for the breakdown of this disaccharide is lactase. If it is synthesized in small quantities, it can lead to huge problems.

In people with such an ailment, about half an hour after consuming food products that contain milk sugar, sharp pains, increased formation of gases in the intestinal tract, or diarrhea may appear.

The severity of symptoms depends on the amount of lactase production. The less this enzyme is produced by the mucosa of the narrow intestinal tract, the more severe the manifestation of "intolerance" of this carbohydrate.

IMPORTANT: With a small lack of enzymes involved in the process of breaking down milk sugar, the above symptoms of “intolerance” to this carbohydrate may not appear.

Moreover, in the 1st and the same person, they can also manifest themselves in different ways.

It depends on the amount of milk sugar that has entered the body, on the individuality of the goods used and other factors.

The first symptoms of this disease appear when milk sugar reaches the intestinal tract. With a lack of enzymes that break it down, it appears:

• Flatulence
• Sharp pains in the abdomen
• Diarrhea (less often constipation)
• Characteristic "rumbling" in the stomach
• Bloating

Sometimes vomiting is added to the symptoms listed above. However, this symptom is quite rare. It can manifest itself when eating a huge amount of dairy products.

In a baby who suffers from such an ailment, the above symptoms may actually appear immediately after consuming dairy products.

This is connected with the individuality of the gastrointestinal tract of children.

If an infant suffers from lactose intolerance, then he may add to the above symptoms: anxiety, moodiness and frequent regurgitation. Also, the baby may often begin to push.

IMPORTANT: Lactose is needed by the intestinal tract for the microbes responsible for the immune system to multiply in it. In children, and less often in adults, who exclude this milk sugar from their own diet, there may be a breakdown, weakness, drowsiness and a frequent manifestation of colds.

Today, the main causes of lactose intolerance are:

1. Genetics. One of the genes in the DNA chain is responsible for the production of lactase.

   It can "lower" the rate at which this enzyme is produced. Which will lead to its deficiency and the manifestation of the above problem

2. Acute digestive infections. Lactase is produced in the lining of the intestinal tract. With infections, as well as when taking various medications, the lining of the intestinal tract can begin to break down. What will lead to a lack of production of enzymes involved in the breakdown of lactose
3. celiac disease A pathology that leads to intolerance to certain food proteins. For example, gluten. It, getting into the intestinal tract in an unchanged (not processed) form, can destroy the villi of the intestinal tract.

   100 is also a prerequisite for insufficient lactase production

As modern research shows, an allergy to milk proteins, although not directly related to lactose intolerance, can become one of the causes of negative actions in the body, which can also lead to a lack of production of enzymes involved in the processing of milk sugar.

IMPORTANT: Lactose is a fundamental substance for the body. Specifically, it gives viscosity to saliva and increases the absorption of calcium. What's more, extreme research links lactose to the B-vitamin process.

Not one manufacturer of formulas for artificial feeding can even get close to the unique composition of breast milk.

But, for babies suffering from lactose intolerance, it is impossible to use such milk for food.

IMPORTANT: Since mother's milk is the basis of nutrition for an infant, lactase deficiency can become a serious problem. And problems with the intestinal tract are just the tip of the iceberg. If the child's body cannot process milk sugar, then the child may lag behind in development.

There are two types of lactose intolerance in a child:

Primary. Lack of lactase synthesis or lack of production of this enzyme by the child's body. The causes of primary lactose intolerance are:

• An underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract
• Genetic disorders
• Excessive production of enzymes that break down milk sugar

Secondary Causes lactose intolerance in a child:

• Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa
• Intestinal infections
• Allergy to gluten and milk proteins

IMPORTANT: Lactose is a substance necessary for the development of the baby's central nervous system.

In adults, milk sugar also has a positive effect on the nervous system. Not so long ago, scientists learned that lactose helps the body to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

You can determine lactose intolerance in children using the following tests:

• Collection of the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract (biopsy). With the help of such a procedure, it is possible with a probability of 99.99% to find the presence of the described disease. But due to trauma, it is actually not used in the treatment of children.
• Oral administration of lactose.

  After that, pathology is determined with the help of blood tests. As well as a biopsy, this procedure is extremely rare in pediatric treatment.

• Analysis of feces. In children's treatment of lactose intolerance, it is used more often. But such an analysis is less plausible.
• Analysis of feces for the amount and level of fatty acids (coprograms). If these indicators exceed the norm, you can find the described ailment with a high probability

In our country, the treatment of lactose intolerance in children is carried out only if the analysis for carbohydrates, coprograms and clinical signs indicate this ailment.

It has been established that representatives of the Caucasian race are less likely to experience a lack of enzymes that process lactose.

But among representatives of the Asian race, this problem occurs quite often.

IMPORTANT: It has been established that lactase production decreases over the years. About 90% of Chinese babies suffer from lactose intolerance by the age of 3-4. In snow-white Europeans, it is produced in the same form only by the age of 25. And among the northern peoples: the Swedes, the Dutch, and others, the highest level of lactase production lasts virtually all their lives.

Very often you can find lactose intolerance at home without resorting to any tests. To do this, it is quite simple to give up milk and dairy products for a few days.

Traditionally, quite a few days, and if after that the work of housing and communal services is restored, it means a problem specifically in intolerance to milk sugar.

But, in order to be sure of this, the doctor to whom you contact with such a discrepancy may ask you to do the following tests:

• Tolerance analysis. To do this, a small dose of lactose is injected into the body and a blood test is done. If blood sugar has not increased, this disaccharide intolerance is stated. The fact is that in the normal state, lactose, like any other carbohydrate, should increase blood sugar levels.

To conduct such an analysis, a lactose curve is constructed.

For this, the patient takes a blood test in the morning on an empty stomach.

Then he is injected with lactose and within an hour after its introduction, blood is taken several times. With the help of these data, a graph is built, with the help of which the pathology is determined.

• Hydrogen inhalation test. Hydrogen can get into the lungs due to undigested carbohydrates. including lactose. The highest level of hydrogen in the lungs is a sure sign of lactose intolerance

The patient perceives a small amount of milk sugar. After that, he exhales air into a special device. It measures the amount of hydrogen.

And already on the basis of its concentration in the exhaled air, the described problem is determined.

A few years ago, to detect lactose intolerance, they used analysis of the mucosa of the digestive tract. Its fence is quite unpleasant and is now actually not used.

What foods contain lactose?

• Lactose can get into food in 2 ways: natural and artificial. In milk and other food products, this polysaccharide is initially
• That is, it gets there in a natural way. But, the modern food industry uses lactose to produce certain food products.
• For example, in the production of sausages, milk sugar is used as a preservative (prolongs the shelf life) and reduces the bitter taste of minced meat.

As a natural ingredient:

Added during production:

Can they be replaced with lactose-free milk and cheese?

Today, in any supermarket you can buy food products that do not contain lactose.

Even those in which this polysaccharide is found naturally: milk and cheese. Traditionally, such products are labeled "lactose-free".

This means that in such products milk sugar is used, which has already undergone fermentation into glucose and galactose. In all other respects, such milk and cheese do not differ from ordinary products.

Dairy products without lactose are produced by well-known concerns such as Valio, President, Parmalat, etc.

IMPORTANT: Lactose-free milk contains all the same vitamins, proteins, nutrients as regular milk.

The composition of this product includes minerals useful for the body: calcium and phosphorus; vitamins (D, B12, A, B2 and B3), as well as essential amino acids.

Unfortunately, there is a worldview that any cheese is lactose-free. This is not true. True, when cheese is made from milk, the amount of lactose decreases. But, it remains in sufficient quantities to harm people with lactase deficiency.

Also, it is worth dispelling the myth that lactose-free cheese is an unnatural product.

This is not so, it is created from milk in which lactose is already fermented. All other technological processes do not differ from the production of ordinary cheese.

The less this enzyme, the stricter the diet must be.

IMPORTANT: When purchasing products in the market, it is important to look at their composition. Lactose can be "hidden" behind such ingredients as: milk powder, cottage cheese, whey, dairy by-products, etc.

The main drawback of the necessary enzymes is not that the digestive tract can be disrupted when using dairy products, but that a person suffering from this disease wants to reduce the amount of dairy products in his own diet and deprives himself of almost all nutrients.

Some of which are extremely important.

In case of intolerance to this carbohydrate, it is important to make up for the loss of such substances by including the consumption of goods that can make up for the loss. For example, you can increase your calcium intake by consuming broccoli, tuna, turnips, sardines, and cereals.

IMPORTANT: The problem of indigestion of milk sugar can be solved by replacing the goods it enters with nuts. They contain a lot of amino acids, vegetable fats and other nutrients. Especially useful for people with such a problem - almonds.

Children are assigned "Lactase Baby" And "Lactazar" (for children), and adults "Lactase Enzyme" And "Lactazar" (for adults).

• "Lactase Baby" These are capsules that contain enzymes to break down lactose.

  They are intended for introduction to children who have signs of the described disease. The intake of this product replenishes the missing amount of enzymes for the breakdown of milk sugar. Reception of such a product by a child is shown before each feeding. In order for the enzyme from "Lactase Baby" not to provoke constipation, it is better for the child to give no more than 0.5 capsules at a time

• Also, with such an ailment, it is important to help the pancreas with enzymes such as: "Pancreatin", "Mezim Forte", "Festal"
• If lactose intolerance causes disruption of the intestinal tract, then it can be helped by probi- and prebiotics such as: Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Hilak Forte

Kate. A familiar annoyance.

But we coped with it with the help of medicines that break down milk sugar. Directly given before feeding the child.

Olga. And we had such a problem. I had to cross from the breast to feeding with special mixtures. By the way, extremely expensive.

Primary- Manifested by low lactase levels. The development of this form for us begins after childhood, since the production of the enzyme is evenly miniaturized. Only the adult population suffers from this.

It is not a pathology, it occurs with age due to a decrease in the activity of enzyme production.

Secondary- occurs in babies and adults, begins to develop from damage to the cells of the narrow intestinal tract, there is a lack of lactase production. The precondition may be:

• Pancreatic adenoma, which provokes the development of ulcers;
• Ascariasis;
• Crohn's disease;
• HIV enteropathy
• Diabetic gastropathy;
• carcinoid syndrome;
• Kwashiorkor;
• Giardiasis;
• After forced long nutrition through a dropper;
• Radiation enteritis (during irradiation of cancer patients);
• Acute gastroenteritis;
• Whipple syndrome;
• Chemotherapy.

Lactose intolerance is not an allergy to milk and people suffering from this disease should not remove from one's own diet dairy products.

But their number should be limited and controlled. But with allergies, you should not use even a minimum of milk or dairy products. Symptoms of a milk allergy: breathing is difficult, the larynx seems to be constricted, discharge occurs from the nose, the eyes and eyelids become swollen, a rash occurs on the skin and vomiting occurs. Completely other symptoms of intolerance:

1. Bloating, colic and rumbling;
2. Stool watery, foamy, sour smell;
3. Pain in the navel area;
4. Nausea turning into vomiting;
5. Insomnia, irritability, fatigue.

Lactose intolerance in adults

• The appearance of watery stools, constipation or alternation;
• Bloating and loss of appetite;
• Cramps in the abdomen, constant rumbling, nausea.

In the primary form, the symptoms depend on the amount of milk that has entered the body.

The secondary form reacts even to a small amount that has entered the body, since the mucous membrane of the small intestine becomes inflamed and the product is not completely broken down.

lactose intolerance symptoms

What can be done?

Find out the degree of your personal intolerance. When consuming dairy products observe the reaction of your own body. You can take an oral tolerance test or a hydrogen breath test (which measures the level of hydrogen you exhale and later determines the amount of undigested lactose).

Skimmed milk is not safe because it is low fat. The problem of intolerance does not come from fat content, but from the amount of lactose.

Acidophilus milk and buttermilk also contain lactose, so be careful with them too.

Almost all people are great at digesting the lactose found in yogurt, give it a try. Moreover, it contains a large amount of calcium. Find your own yogurt, which you will simply transfer. Try not to take pasteurized yogurts, there is practically no benefit from them, and the harm from lactose remains the same.

Chocolate milk has a pleasant taste and calcium is perfectly absorbed from it, and cocoa provokes lactase activity.

Take lactose with food, in which case it is easier to digest and will cause fewer consequences.

It is recommended to drink milk during a meal and with cereal products. You need to drink it little by little several times a day. This will help replenish the dose of calcium in the body and will not bring you special troubles, watch your diet.

Watch how your body affects lactose intolerance, what signs it shows, because such a reaction may appear in your babies. In newborn children congenital intolerance can cost them their lives.

Every time he breastfeeds or formula feeds, he develops colic, gas and diarrhea, and does not gain weight. Today, stores sell food that does not contain lactose. Which foods do not contain lactose:

• Vegetables, fruits, berries;
• Bee Honey;
• Coffee Tea;
• Vegetable oils;
• Pasta, cereals (by weight);
• Soybeans and their products;
• Eggs;
• Meat, poultry, fish, offal (raw);
• Nuts, seeds.

How can a doctor help?

He will prescribe enzymes for you in pills or drops. Will appoint for treatment of other diseases lactose-free medicines. Prescribe a course of treatment for severe secondary lactase deficiency. It will help you choose a balanced diet that will make up for the lack of calcium. For your child, he will select the right nutrition and give you advice on feeding him.

Take care of your digestive system, try not to have problems with it. Eat with lactose intolerance foods rich in calcium in small quantities.

Drink milk a little at a time with meals, and yogurt and cheese in small portions are traditionally well tolerated by the unhealthy. Try all foods, but in small quantities and with caution. Look at the ingredients of all the products you buy.

An extremely fascinating spread of lactose intolerance syndrome.

• On a global scale, 75% of the adult population cannot tolerate milk sugar, and along with it, dairy products;
• l actase deficiency often found among the indigenous population of South America and Asia (up to 90% of Hispanics);
• 75% of African Americans have this syndrome;
• on average, 25% of adult Europeans have lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency) in adulthood;
• while, for example, in the Netherlands and Sweden, such a dilemma is generally not known;
• about 50% went to the share of Russia;
• men and women suffer the same often.

  The syndrome begins to manifest itself from the age of 20;

• 44% of pregnant women who were previously lactose intolerant regain the ability to digest lactose during pregnancy;
• lactose intolerance is perfectly treated by eliminating milk from the diet;
• nobody died from primary lactose intolerance;
• Osteopenia can be a complication of lactose intolerance, which in old age can turn into osteoporosis.

In medical practice, there are three main types of pathology, these are:

• congenital lactose intolerance is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait and is extremely rare. Manifested from birth;
• primary lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency);
• secondary lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency)

Primary lactose intolerance is associated with a low level of the lactase enzyme, a decrease in the production of the enzyme occurs evenly and this form develops after childhood.

Occurs only in adults. The type of syndrome for which the lack of lactase production is typical, in the absence of any damage to the enterocytes.

In the animal kingdom, all mammals lose their ability to digest lactose as adults, and humans are no exception. Deficiency in adults is not pathological, it is a symptom of an age-related decrease in enzyme activity.

If we return again to the question of nationality, then among the inhabitants of northern Europe, the analyzes demonstrate the highest activity of lactase at any age. But in Asians, it starts to go down quite early.

Secondary lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency).

This type of syndrome occurs in adults and children.

The lack of lactase production develops against the background of damage to the cells of the narrow intestinal tract. Secondary, or acquired, lactase deficiency can develop in a person with a healthy small intestine during episodes of acute illness. This is due to damage to the mucous membrane or from drugs. Some prerequisites for secondary lactase deficiency:

• acute gastroenteritis;
• giardiasis;
• ascariasis;
• Crohn's disease;
• celiac disease;
• tropical sprue, gastrinoma;
• radiation enteritis, for example, when irradiating cancer patients;
• diabetic gastropathy;
• carcinoid syndrome;
• Whipple syndrome;
• HIV enteropathy;
• kwashiorkor;
• chemotherapy;
• pancreatic adenoma, which provokes the development of ulcers;
• after a long forced feeding through droppers.

We figured out the primary deficiency of the enzyme - it does not threaten adults in any way.

With secondary lactase deficiency, everything is almost the same.

DO NOT DRINK MILK and there will be no problems. Milk is not adult food - period!

All horror stories are like: dehydration, since long-term diarrhea removes a huge amount of water, which is quite difficult to replenish; lack of calcium and almost all other trace elements, since the absorption of these substances actually stops in the intestinal tract; the lack of nutritional parts coming from dairy products leads to a halt in the development of the necessary microbes of the microflora; the population of rotten bacteria grows; peristalsis is significantly reduced; the general immunity of the body falls - they concern only children.

They have nothing to do with adults!

The severity of hypolactasia occurs in each person individually. Symptoms of lactase deficiency in adults are identical in both forms of milk intolerance. The difference is that:

• the primary form and brightness of the manifestation of symptoms depend on the huge amount of milk that has entered the body,
• and in the secondary form, the symptoms bloom in a lush color even when a small amount of milk sugar enters, since its splitting is completely disturbed in the inflamed mucous membrane of the small intestine.

But basically, the symptoms that indicate lactose intolerance, which causes lactase deficiency, come down to subsequent manifestations.

• Symptoms are constantly associated with the use of milk. or dairy products;
• there may be diarrhea, but constipation is not less common, from time to time alternation of symptoms: now diarrhea, then constipation;
• constant uterine rumbling, pain, there may be nausea;
• loss of appetite and a feeling of powerful bloating - flatulence

An adult can himself suspect lactose intolerance, even before taking the tests, if he knows the main symptoms, and also that no methods of treatment help us with this pathology, apart from strictly following a lactose-free diet.

If there are symptoms, but you did not drink milk, then you need to find another cause of indigestion.

The symptoms are extremely similar to irritable bowel syndrome, and the only way to tell one condition from another is to completely eliminate dairy products.

From time to time, these two pathologies get along together.

In adults, the symptoms of primary lactose intolerance, lactase deficiency are the norm, not a disease, and international advice from nutritionists and gastroenterologists is given as the first diagnostic test:

In some dubious cases, the same "international standards" advise a couple more tests:

• blood test for lactose. The patient drinks 50 ml of lactose and then the blood sugar level is measured, with the data entered on the graph and the curve is built. The lack of lactase makes the curve straightened, the graph does not show an increase in glucose after 60 minutes, since it is not absorbed in the intestinal tract.
• milk load test give ml of milk and measure the level of sugar in the blood.

  If the blood sugar level is less than 9 mg / dl, then this confirms the malabsorption of glucose in the intestine.

All other tests can only be useful for differential diagnosis with other most severe disorders, for the study of secondary lactose intolerance, for example, in celiac disease.

• Fecal analysis. This test indicates the amount of carbohydrates, and the pH level. In a healthy person, there are no carbohydrates in the stool. With lactase deficiency syndrome, their presence is determined, and the pH drops to a level of 5.5 and below.
• analysis for the concentration of exhaled hydrogen.

  It is also performed with lactose overload. Samples are made every half an hour up to 6 times.

• biopsy and enzyme activity analysis. For its implementation, a wash is taken from the mucous membrane. The result of this test is considered very reliable. (in practice this is not used, as it is an invasive method and has complications).
• sometimes genetic testing is done to find out the cause of secondary lactose intolerance, for example, in the case of celiac disease.

In addition to specific tests in adults, other diseases are excluded, the symptom of which may be diarrhea and bloating.

Only after receiving all the answers to the tests, together with a nutritionist, a menu of a healing diet is developed. Enzymes are prescribed and measures are taken to relieve symptoms.

Acute Disorder Treatment

As we have already agreed - primary natural lactose intolerance should not be cured with pills. Secondary lactase deficiency is cured as follows:

• exclude the intake of lactose, that is, milk and dairy products;
• treat the disease - enzyme deficiency (for example, acute gastroenteritis);
• provide the body with the necessary enzymes for the digestion of lactose, use the lactase enzyme in pills or capsules.

And in the end, there is still little linguistics: "Lactose deficiency", from the point of view of the language, means "lack of milk sugar" in the body, at a theoretical level, lactose deficiency - this could be called a lack of milk sugar in mother's milk in a newborn or some eating disorder in malnourished children in Africa.

My inquisitive mind forced me to find in medical journals a study of lactose deficiency in babies (Lactose Deficiency (lactose deficiency) in Infants Clinical Pediatrics 11/); BUT this term has nothing to do with the topic of our article and the fact that adults do not digest milk sugar.

Sincerely, Dr. A.Novocidou

Lactose intolerance is a problem that has a solution.

In recent times, speaking of milk, more and more often you can hear about lactose. And it's not mind-blowing. At the moment, we will explain why for some people this question is especially relevant. In Russia, 15% of the inhabitants cannot enjoy the usual and such a native taste of milk.

This is connected specifically with lactose, more precisely with the problem of its intolerance.

Lactose or milk sugar is a carbohydrate in milk. According to its own chemical structure, it is a disaccharide formed by glucose and galactose. Lactose occurs in the mammary glands of mammals and is found naturally only in milk. Lactose is also used in the manufacture of almost all food products to improve the structure, taste, and other parameters. For example, lactose can be found in bread, frozen vegetables, canned soups, salad dressings and sauces, spaghetti, sweets, and even medicinal products as an excipient.

digestion of lactose.

Lactose is useful and it promotes the absorption of calcium and other minerals in the intestinal tract, as well as the reproduction of fermented milk microbes suitable for the body.
But in order for lactose to be beneficial, it must be properly digested. This is facilitated by the enzyme lactase contained in the human body. With its help, lactose is broken down into ordinary sugars - glucose and galactose, and in this form it is simply absorbed.

Not everyone digests lactose easily. Some people suffer from lactose intolerance and therefore experience discomfort after consuming milk and other products containing lactose.

This is due to the reduced formation of the lactase enzyme in the intestinal tract or its insufficient activity. Symptoms of impaired lactose absorption caused by the absence or lack of lactose (hypolactasia) are called lactose intolerance.

lactase deficiency. Prerequisites. Kinds.

Lactase deficiency, which results in an inability to break down dietary lactose, can have a variety of causes.

Primary lactase deficiency.
Usually in newborns, the lactase enzyme, which promotes the absorption of lactose that enters the body with milk, is produced in sufficient quantities.

The greatest amount of lactase is produced at the age of months, specifically during the period when breastfeeding is so important for the formation of the body. After the first year of life, lactase activity begins to decrease. The main decline in the produced lactase enzyme occurs between the ages of 5 and 12 years. This is a natural process that happens to everyone. Most often, even a decrease in the level of the lactase enzyme produced, retains the body's ability to absorb lactose, though in the smallest quantities.

In some adults, the lactase enzyme disappears to a greater extent or even one hundred percent.

This is called primary or age-related lactase deficiency. In some cases, this leads to complete lactose intolerance and causes unpleasant symptoms after consumption of even small doses of milk or other products containing lactose.

Secondary lactase deficiency.
There is also a secondary lactase deficiency. It can be caused by external factors, for example, food allergies (including to cow's milk protein), a digestive infection, or the lack of treatment for such a disease as celiac disease (we will talk more about this in a subsequent article). In this case, if the influencing factor disappears and the intestinal villi are restored, then the ability to produce lactase is also restored.

General information

Lactose is one of the complex sugars found in milk and all dairy products.

During the digestive process, lactose is broken down by lactase (an enzyme secreted in the small intestine) into ordinary sugars (the monosaccharides glucose and galactose), which are absorbed into the bloodstream. " Intolerance"means the inability to digest lactose, often associated with deficiency of the enzyme lactase. Approximately 30 minutes after consuming milk or dairy products such as ice cream or cottage cheese and homemade cheese, people with lactose intolerance may have diarrhea (diarrhea) or cramping (abdominal cramps) and bloating (increased gas in the intestines), the severity of which depends on the level of lack of enzymes.

But a person with a slight enzyme deficiency may experience no symptoms at all.

There is a widespread belief that lactose intolerance It's an allergy to milk. In fact, this is not so, and the difference between these 2 concepts is extremely large. People with lactose intolerance do not necessarily have to remove milk and dairy products from their own diet, but they need to control the amount of dairy products. But people suffering from an allergy to milk should not consume even a small amount of milk.

Symptoms of a milk allergy include difficulty breathing, tightness in the throat, nasal discharge, swollen eyes and eyelids, skin rashes, and vomiting. lactose intolerance manifests itself differently.

Causes of lactose intolerance

Congenital lactase deficiency, widespread to a greater extent among persons belonging to the Asian race.

A natural decrease in the level of lactase, which begins in childhood (after 3 years).

How significant this decrease will be depends on the characteristics of the body of a particular person. However, it is safe to say that the older a person is, the more likely they are to suffer from lactose intolerance.

Any disease that affects the lactase-producing cells in the small intestine, such as inflammatory diseases and even the flu. Such a state causes secondary lactase deficiency».

This is a temporary discrepancy that disappears as soon as the disease passes, the damaged cells are restored and begin to produce enzymes again.

Surgical operations on the stomach and intestinal tract, which can completely kill the body's ability to create lactase.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance

Diarrhea, watery stools;
- increased gas formation;
- cramps in the abdomen.

What can you do

Find out the extent of your lactose intolerance. Apart from observing how your body reacts to milk and dairy products, there are two clear methods to test for lactose intolerance:

Oral tolerance test;
- test for hydrogen by breathing (includes measurement of the level of hydrogen in the exhaled air, which depends on the amount of undigested lactose);

Try eating foods with reduced lactose or no lactose at all.

You should not completely deprive yourself of dairy products containing lactose, because. this not only drastically reduces the amount of calcium in the diet, but also reduces your body's ability to absorb calcium from non-dairy products (because lactose helps the intestinal tract absorb and retain calcium).

Keep in mind that skimmed milk is not the safest due to being the least fat. The problem of intolerance is not associated with fat content, but with lactose. Buttermilk and acidophilus milk also contain lactose, so you should also be careful with them.

Try yogurt.

Almost all people suffering from lactose intolerance can normally digest the lactose found in yogurt. At the same time, yogurt is a good source of calcium. Use trial and error to find what kind of yogurt you tolerate best. Beware of pasteurized yoghurts their usefulness is significantly less, and the harm from lactose remains.

Drink chocolate milk. Calcium from such milk is perfectly absorbed, and the chocolate taste makes it the most pleasant.

Moreover, cocoa can even provoke lactase activity.

Some cheeses, especially cheddar, parmesan, swiss cheese, and mozzarella, are good sources of calcium. However, they are not dangerous in terms of lactose, because. whey, which contains the most lactose, is separated during the cheese making process. But cottage cheese, homemade cheese and ricotta are rich in lactose, so they should not be abused.

Drink milk with food or cereals. Taking lactose directly with food makes it easier to digest and causes fewer side effects.

Drink milk in small portions (half a cup) several times a day with meals.

This will replenish the required dose of calcium and will not cause any particular problems.

Be careful and watch what you eat. Lactose can be found in bread, frozen vegetables, canned soups, salad dressings and sauces, spaghetti, etc., breakfast cereals, cakes, sweets, and even medicinal products.

Watch closely for signs lactose intolerance. If you have such a problem, the possibility is extremely high that your kids will have it too. In infants, congenital lactose intolerance can be life threatening.

As soon as a baby suffering from lactose intolerance is fed breast milk or artificial nutrition containing milk, he has colic, gas formation, diarrhea, and he stops gaining weight. Special artificial nutrition is now available that does not contain lactose. Contact your pediatrician, who will select artificial nutrition and a balanced diet for your baby, which will allow you to replenish the required amount of calcium in his diet.

What can a doctor do

Write out enzymes in the form of pills or drops. For the treatment of other diseases, prescribe drugs that do not contain lactose.

Assign healing to severe secondary lactase deficiency.

A nutritionist can create a balanced diet for you.

A pediatrician can help you choose the right diet for your baby and give you the right advice on feeding your baby.

Preventive measures for lactose intolerance

Be careful and try not to fall ill with diseases of the digestive system.

Apart from this, there are practically no methods to prevent such a genetically programmed disorder as lactose intolerance.

However, some simple precautions will help people with mild lactase intolerance avoid the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms, while not completely depriving themselves of milk and dairy products.

If you're lactose intolerant, don't deprive yourself of dairy products entirely. Try to eat foods rich in calcium, such as milk, but in small doses (less than a cup) and drink it with meals.

Traditionally, small amounts of cheese and yogurt are quite easily tolerated by people with lactose intolerance.

You can also try lactose-free milk, cheese and cottage cheese or other calcium, such as soy milk, almonds, broccoli and other greenish vegetables, fish, etc.

Milk has always been considered an extremely useful product, since it contains vital substances.

Despite this, milk allergy is quite common. Currently, it is easy to find it in any grocery market. The range of milk is considered one of the most diverse. After all, this product is presented on the shelves from different animals and different processing. Symptoms of milk allergy in adults and children are quite diverse. It is extremely difficult to associate the manifestation of an ailment with a certain type of product. The most common allergy is cow's milk protein, which can be found in a large number of products: yogurt, cheese, ice cream and even sausage.

Most often, allergic reactions appear from adolescence.

It is worth keeping in mind that it is better not to give cow's milk to babies, replacing it with mother's. In addition, there is a worldview that very later, putting a baby to the breast can also become a prerequisite for the onset of an ailment.

Risk factors for a dairy allergy include:

• heredity, if one of the close relatives suffers from this disease, then the chance of falling ill increases;
• excessive consumption of milk by the mother during breastfeeding;
• features of the body, in particular the immune system; this refers to an increased sensitivity to active additives at the biological level;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver; these organs are a fundamental link in the process of digestion of dairy products and protein breakdown;
• negative actions of the external environment, meaning stress, polluted ecology, unhealthy diet.

It is worth noting that milk of animal origin can be rejected by a person due to 2 reasons.

The first is lactase deficiency. A certain fraction of the population suffers from this disease, and specifically the complete or partial intolerance to milk sugar. If the body lacks a special lactase enzyme produced in the intestinal tract, then the immune system gives an adverse reaction when milk enters.

Lactase deficiency is one of the causes of allergy in adults. From time to time, the best step would be to replace milk with fermented milk products: sour cream, kefir, etc.

etc. But these products should also be consumed with caution, without getting too carried away.

Allergy to cow's milk protein (protein) is the 2nd prerequisite for the disease. There are about 25 different types of protein in an animal product. In most cases, allergies occur immediately on several types. There are situations when the disease is expressed in contact form, that is, when milk gets on the skin, blisters or redness occur.

As already noted, this disease can manifest itself in various ways.

The only thing that remains common is that the consumption of dairy products leads to their appearance. The severity of symptoms depends on almost all causes, including the sensitivity of the body, the level of immunity, etc.

The main symptoms of milk allergy in adults include:

• diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain; these symptoms occasionally occur in adults, but do occur;
• nasal congestion, mucosal edema, rhinitis;
• general symptoms, including dizziness, fainting, rapid breathing; from time to time the temperature rises with allergies in adults;
• the appearance of redness and blisters on the skin, accompanied by itching; it is worth noting that it is strictly forbidden to open them;
• angioedema - this symptom is considered a manifestation of a more severe form of allergy; if you do not start healing on time, this can lead to death; occurs as a result of the accumulation of water in the face; this leads to swelling of the nose, neck, and chest.

It must be announced that Quincke's edema is also accompanied by stuffy ears, cough and hoarseness.

A person consumes dairy products from subsequent animals: cattle, goat, camel, sheep, horse.

Scientists have revealed a fascinating fact: from time to time, adults and children develop an allergy only to powdered milk, while they can consume whole milk without problems. The fact is that in this case, intolerance is not expressed due to milk protein. The activators of the disease are the changes that have occurred in proteins and fats.

Can there be an allergy to milk from the mother? There is a clear negative answer here. Although from time to time there are cases when a mother herself consumes a huge amount of milk during feeding.

Then the child may have a reaction to the proteins that enter his body.

If you have such a problem, you need to more correctly select analogues. If you are allergic to dairy products, doctors advise the following substitutions (of plant origin):

• soy milk is a more common analogue that contains all the necessary substances for our body;
• oat milk is a fairly necessary product, especially effective in the treatment of colds;
• rice milk - sold ready-made, if desired, you can make it yourself;
• coconut milk is the most controversial option, as this product is also capable of causing allergies.

If the first signs of illness occur, you should immediately consult an allergist.

Specifically, he is able to make a clear diagnosis, to identify the prerequisites for allergies in adults and kids. At first, he will make a complete examination and collect relevant information about the development of the pathology.

In most cases, these procedures are not enough to make a clear diagnosis, so a number of other studies are carried out. Among them are:

• general clinical and biochemical blood tests; if the number of leukocytes is increased, and an excessive concentration of reactive protein is also observed, then there is a possibility that this is an allergy;
• immunogram;
• skin experiments; apply scratches with different allergens to reveal why the reaction occurs;
• determination of more sensitive antibodies and cells - this analysis allows you to find allergies with 90% certainty.

It is worth keeping in mind that as soon as signs of illness appear (temperature with allergies in adults, dizziness, blistering), you need to make an appointment with a specialist.

The main way to treat milk intolerance is through diet. You should remove all dairy products from the diet and avoid contact with milk. In addition, it is necessary to renounce the consumption of goods that cause the highest sensitivity to external stimuli.

As for medications, doctors often prescribe antihistamines. They have an anti-inflammatory effect. Also during therapy, it is welcome to take antispasmodic and antidiarrheal drugs.

Every ailment can be cured with the help of folk remedies. But the debate about their effectiveness continues to this day.

In the fight against allergy to milk, various herbal decoctions, mummy, homeopathic remedies, active additives at the biological level are used. It is quite common to heal the disease according to Ayurveda.

When symptoms of milk allergy occur in adults, almost all people use specifically folk remedies. They are used extremely often, and, of course, they make a certain contribution to the healing of the disease. But from a scientific point of view, this is impossible to prove.

The use of folk methods does not guarantee a positive outcome. The main thing is to keep in mind about safety. After all, with the wrong treatment, burdens can appear, which will lead to unpleasant consequences.

As already noted, it is necessary to apply a hypoallergenic diet. After all, only a complete rejection of contact with the irritant can ensure some safety. All products containing milk should be excluded. But there is a high possibility that an allergy to sour-milk products will not manifest itself. This is due to the fact that irritants are eliminated and do not pose a danger.

In case of protein intolerance, it is necessary to exclude those products in which it is contained in large quantities.

Among them are cow's milk, ice cream, as well as some confectionery and bakery products. It is worth keeping in mind that allergies are a serious illness. If the healing is not started in time, Quincke's edema may develop. And he can lead to a fatal ending. Watch your health to avoid unpleasant situations.

An allergic reaction to milk is the body's immune response to a protein found in our food water. In most cases, goat's and cow's milk provokes its occurrence. After all, they contain at least 80% casein (milk protein).

Today, about 5% of children have intolerance to the main component of milk.

In this case, an allergy occurs immediately after the consumption of this feed water or every other day. In an infant, a reaction to protein occurs within a couple of hours after ingestion; in an adult, the symptoms of such an ailment are the least pronounced.

Protein intolerance often occurs due to a lack of ability to break down lactose into galactose and glucose. Undigested milk sugar causes bloating, fermentation in the intestinal tract and pain in the tummy.

Therefore, intolerance may not be associated with milk protein, but with lactose.

Hypersensitivity to feed water protein is justified by casein or other components. There are at least 20 similar ingredients in milk (alpha-lactoglobulin, beta-lactoglobulin, lipoproteins, and others).

Dairy protein intolerance can appear for a variety of reasons. The main ones are considered to be:

• violation of regulatory functions;
• genetic predisposition to an allergic reaction (hypersensitivity may be in close relatives);
• hormonal disruptions;
• infectious pathologies of the acquired form;
• stress, powerful experiences and nervous exhaustion.

When milk enters the body of a person suffering from intolerance to its main components, a protective reaction of the immune system is activated.

Antibodies present in the blood attach to the antigen. At the same time, the formed immune complexes begin to emit substances that provoke the development of inflammatory actions in different tissues. As a result, signs of an allergy appear.

It should be noted that casein is found in the milk of almost all animals. But most of this protein is specifically in cow's drink. That is why an allergic reaction in hypersensitive people can appear on the nutrient fluid of all artiodactyls. It goes without saying that with intolerance to milk, an allergy will also occur to products made from it - butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream and others. If there is hypersensitivity to a protein such as alpha-lactalbumin, then a cross-reaction to beef may occur.

Intolerance to cow's milk protein, the symptoms of which are pronounced, manifests itself in the following way:

• A rash, redness of the skin, itching and swelling occur on various parts of the body.
• Quite often, with an allergic reaction, constipation, bloating, cramps, flatulence, pain, symptoms of gastritis are disturbing.
• There is swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, nose, and in very languid cases - the lungs, a runny nose may appear, mucus secretion intensifies, sneezing, and shortness of breath may appear.

Similar symptoms of protein intolerance in adults occur with all types of food allergies, so you first need to identify the connection with the use of dairy products.

It is not so difficult to do this, after eating cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream, you should simply observe your well-being. It must be kept in mind that protein intolerance in languid variants can lead to suffocation, swelling of the throat, pressure drops, in other words, cause anaphylactic shock. This condition calls for immediate medical attention.

In small children, the reaction of the immune system to dairy products proceeds in different ways. It can be rapid, in other words, appear a few minutes after the allergen enters the body of the baby, and slow - develop within days. At the same time, different systems and organs can be involved in the process of inflammation.

An allergy to milk protein can cause a baby to:

• flatulence;
• mucous and foamy diarrhea;
• loss of appetite;
• colic;
• belching and even vomiting.

In babies up to a year, digestive disorders occur in the most severe form, if in adults and older children.

Such disturbances can last for about 3 days until the allergen finishes seeping into the body.

Protein intolerance can lead to negative reactions from the respiratory system: sneezing, dry allergic cough, nasal congestion. These symptoms are often mistaken for bronchitis, adenoids, tracheitis and other pathologies.

The most unsafe manifestation of an allergy is anaphylaxis, which develops almost simultaneously after the consumption of a cow's drink. In this condition, the face of the baby swells, the skin turns pale and a spasm of the throat occurs. Other similar symptoms may be accompanied by urinary incontinence and convulsions.

In this situation, urgent emergency assistance is needed.

Sometimes, with an allergic reaction to milk protein, such atypical symptoms occur as nosebleeds, vegetative dystonia, joint destruction, disruption of the urinary organs, and anemia.

Intolerance to cow's milk protein in infants, the symptoms and treatment of which are focused on eliminating unpleasant signs, most often manifests itself on the skin in the form of reddening of the cheeks and a rash. If the baby is worried about a powerful itch, then he begins to comb the skin, because of which a bacterial infection can still join the allergy.

If you suspect an allergy, you should first find out what specifically causes a bad reaction.

To do this, you need to introduce dairy products into the diet and monitor the state of the body after their consumption. In the event that after taking them, the baby has a watery stool with snow-white lumps, his intestinal tract cannot process and assimilate the protein present in this nutrient fluid.

Protein intolerance, the symptoms of which appear after the allergen enters the body, can lead to developmental delay in the baby and growth retardation.

If the baby often spits up, he has pain, bloating and gas formation, then we are most likely talking about an allergic reaction to milk protein. As a result of this, the absorption of the necessary substances is disturbed in the baby, which slows down the development of his body.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely recover from an allergy to milk protein. With increased sensitivity, a person will have to remove from the diet all the food in which he is located. After the onset of signs of a food allergy, you need to contact an allergist. The doctor will send for the necessary examinations, after which he will prescribe an effective therapy.

Protein intolerance should not be treated alone, as this can lead to complications. After all, some people confuse such an allergic reaction with dermatitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or larynx, and urticaria.

Cow's milk protein intolerance, whose symptoms are not consistently pronounced in adults, is often treated with pharmaceutical products. With the highest sensitivity to dairy products, measures should be taken to relieve symptoms and improve well-being. Eliminate itching and other manifestations of allergies will help sorbents and antihistamine pharmaceuticals: Tavegil, Dimedrol, activated charcoal and Suprastin.

Corticosteroids are used to eliminate an attack of anaphylactic shock.

At the same time, you need to abandon all products with milk protein, so as not to worsen the situation. In addition, stress should be avoided, immunity should be increased, digestion should be monitored and symptomatic disorders should be removed at the right time.

To get rid of skin rashes, use different ointments. The most popular of them are Elokom, Bepanten, Hydrocortisone, Skin-Cap and Fenistil.

To prevent allergies to cow drink, you need to follow a special diet. Cheese, milk, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream should be completely removed from the diet.

Moreover, it is worth refusing products containing milk protein:

• baking;
• sauces;
• sausages;
• chocolate and ice cream.

Instead of a nutritious cow drink, you can use soy, and a lack of calcium will help replenish vegetables, fruits and vitamin complexes.

To eliminate intolerance to milk protein in non-standard medicine, a series is used to relieve swelling and itching. They also use dill seed for hypersensitivity. It helps to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the digestive tract: frequent regurgitation, colic and diarrhea.

But before using folk remedies, especially along with pharmaceutical products, you should consult a doctor.

Many of us experience food allergies to certain foods.

Often, the culprit is cow's milk and the substances it contains.

In adults, milk allergy is not as common as among children, but it still occurs.

What is it and why does it occur - read the continuation of the article.

Most people don't even know that true allergy for milk occurs only in % of the total number of patients. Others are diagnosed with bovine protein intolerance or lactose intolerance.

Intolerance is a deficiency of the body, in which the digestive system cannot completely break down protein molecules, as a result, they are not completely absorbed and provoke adverse reactions.

milk protein is the general name for protein products found in milk.

Proteins are divided into:

• casein, which makes up approximately 80% of the total amount of proteins;
• globulins and albumins occupying the remainder.

Both types are isolated from whole milk, dried, after which it gets into different dry mixes, sports nutrition, baby food and so on.

All this should be avoided in case of diagnosed milk allergy. protein structure is not destroyed after drying, and they are still not digested in case of intolerance.

At risk people get in for reasons such as:

1. hypersensitivity of the body to any allergens: suffering from hay fever, atopic dermatitis, etc.;
2. poor heredity, if relatives had a tendency to allergic reactions;
3. intolerance, woven with the missing amount of enzymes involved in the process of digestion;
4. a weakened body with other allergic manifestations or a bad environment.

Food allergy, which is a reaction to dairy products, manifests itself with a wide range of symptoms, and if the allergen is not known in advance, disease can be confused, for example, with poisoning.

First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of allergic reactions.

On the body, it looks like itching and redness, a rash, swelling of the face, tongue, eyes is possible.

Together with this, allergic dermatitis may develop (pictured below).

Sometimes there is an exacerbation of bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and cough.

Such manifestations indicate an allergic nature diseases, but, unfortunately, the matter is not limited to them.

Participates in the process digestive system: there may be heaviness in the stomach, exacerbation of gastritis, nausea and vomiting, spasms.

Once in the intestinal tract, undigested milk protein is absorbed through the mucous membrane, causing reactions such as:

• diarrhea;
• flatulence and bloating;
• liquid stool;
• in rare cases - constipation.

Symptoms of lactase deficiency differ in that the patient's condition worsens depending on the amount of milk drunk.

Allergy, on the other hand, acts immediately in full force, even with a small content of cow protein in some food product.

Especially unsafe are anaphylactic reactions and Quincke's edema, which develop rapidly, in almost seconds or minutes they can lower blood pressure, block oxygen access to the lungs due to swelling of the throat, a person may lose consciousness.

First thing, milk and any dairy products are excluded from the diet, traditionally this is enough for the body to begin to recover.

If allergy symptoms appear acutely or they do not go away on their own, prescribe antihistamines, hormonal and non-hormonal ointments, sprays for a cold.

Before using all medications, you need to consult with an allergist. Allergic manifestations to pharmaceutical preparations are also common. To identify which irritants are not safe specifically for you, the doctor will prescribe special tests and allergy tests.

Severe reactions such as Quincke's edema (see how it looks in the photo above) or anaphylaxis require urgent hospitalization.

Before the ambulance arrives, it is necessary to give the patient a powerful antihistamine, for example, Suprastin, comfortably lay him on a sofa or bed and wait for the doctors.

They also apply medicines to normalize the intestinal microflora.

Often appointed sorbents, activated charcoal, which remove toxic substances from the body.

In general, doctors advise following the same dietary principles that should be followed for food allergies.

It is unrealistic to completely cure the disease, therefore, dairy products should be excluded from your own diet. Fortunately, if you do not want to completely abandon your native drink, there are several alternatives:

• drink soy milk, it contains a tremendous amount of vitamins and is completely harmless;
• try substitute goat's milk, but it can also be allergic, so proceed with caution;
• also exist, oatmeal, rice and other types of milk, occasionally found on sale.

Dairy products can be eaten: cottage cheese and kefir do not contain complex protein compounds, because

they are broken down during the activity of microbes and fungi.

Can't eat milk-based cereals, dry textures, dry soups, various dairy products that are not processed or hydrolyzed, milk-based sports nutrition, and so on.

Leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a proper diet without milk will allow you to enjoy life and avoid unpleasant allergic manifestations.

A huge number of people have lactose and milk protein intolerance, but at the same time they do not feel worse than the rest.

Replacing cow's milk with soy or goat's milk solves this problem.

What else you need to know about cow's milk allergy in you and your babies, says Dr. Komarovsky:

Food allergies are a problem of our time.

One of the varieties of this type of allergic reactions is hypersensitivity to milk.

The reaction to cow's milk occurs due to the fact that the product contains several 10 different antigens, each of which individually can stimulate the development of sensitization by itself.

There is a connection between a premise and a consequence.

To overcome the disease, first of all, you need to understand the factors that provoke the development of a violent reaction:

• lactose intolerance. Lactase is responsible for the digestion of lactose in the body.

  When the body lacks this enzyme, a violent reaction of the immune system begins to appear. Although fermented milk products are less allergenic than milk, you still need to be careful with these products. It is not always that lactose is transformed into lactic acid, therefore sensitization can still develop in the body;

• milk protein intolerance. In some embodiments, the hypersensitivity to proteins may be so severe that ordinary skin contact may stimulate the development of medical symptoms.

Let us consider in more detail what risk factors play a leading role in the fact that an allergy to cow's milk protein occurs:

• heredity. A person may be born with a lack of suitable enzymes that are responsible for the digestion of milk protein;
• frequent use by a pregnant lady of goods that provoke the development of allergic reactions: citrus fruits, chocolate, eggs, peanuts, berries, fish, honey, milk.

  This does not mean that pregnant women are strictly forbidden to use these products, you need to watch their quantity. As you know, everything is fine in moderation;

  For almost all people, it remains a mystery: "What are the advantages of goat's milk over cow's?"

  Consider the main advantages, among which one can single out the easy digestibility of fatty acids by the intestines.

  Also, proteins are easier and more quickly absorbed by the body.

  If you look at goat milk in terms of allergies, then it is the least allergenic.

  Each of these products is unique and useful, you need to listen to your own body, which is the best adviser in this matter.

  Milk is a unique product containing a huge amount of necessary substances, among which:

  • trace elements (iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium);
  • amino acids (lysine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, leucine, cystine, aspartic and glutamic acid);
  • fatty acid;
  • vitamins of group B, A, D, C.

  An allergy develops in several steps, among which:

  • immune reactions. At this stage of development for us, the first contact of the antibody with the antigen occurs.

    In the usual scenario, the cells of the immune system easily absorb the allergen and destroy it. In the case of a weakened immune system, this does not happen;

  • biochemical reactions. This reaction occurs in case of repeated contact with the antigen. Already at this step in the development of events, clinical signs of the disease begin to develop;
  • clinical manifestations. At this step, as a result of the release of active substances at the biological level, a response occurs in the tissues of the body.

  If you look at milk from the point of view of the development of hypersensitivity, then the raw product is the most unsafe compared to boiled.

  The claim that a violent reaction develops in those who consume huge amounts of milk is simply a myth.

  Sensitization can develop even in those who have never used this product.

  The clinical picture is not always identical, it depends on certain points:

  • product quantity;
  • the degree of sensitivity of the body to the allergen;
  • the ability of the immune system to resist antigens;
  • sensitivity of tissues to the impulse that the immune system transmits.

  First, let's look at violations of the digestive system:

  • pain syndrome in the abdomen. The pain subsides a little when the patient eats, but later they reappear.

    At the same time, acidity in the stomach increases, which simply begins to corrode it. This leads to heartburn and ulcers;

  • regurgitation. As a rule, the gag reflex occurs a few minutes after the consumption of the product. The greater the amount drunk, the greater the intensity and duration of regurgitation.
  • disorder. The stool is watery and poorly digested. Patients may feel discomfort, as well as the frequent urge to defecate.

  In addition, the process also affects the skin:

  • skin rashes. As a rule, they are localized on the tummy, back, groin and elbows.

    The skin becomes pink or reddish in color, blisters may appear. Opening the blisters will not bring any relief, but on the contrary, it can only worsen the situation by causing infection;

  • severe itching. The skin begins to itch as soon as the rash occurs;
  • angioneurotic edema. This manifestation develops within a few seconds or a maximum of minutes after contact with the antigen. As a rule, the process spreads to the lips, cheeks, eyelids, auricles. Edema is accompanied by shortness of breath, as well as cyanosis of the skin and mucous membranes. The glottis closes so strongly that the respiratory process simply stops.

  The organs of the respiratory system are also affected:

  • stuffy nose;
  • dyspnea;
  • cyanosis;
  • cough;
  • hoarse voice;
  • plugged up ears.

  Now let's talk about disorders of the autonomic nervous system:

  • cardiopalmus;
  • rapid breathing;
  • dizziness;
  • nausea.

  Timely and accurate diagnosis is very important, since the disease can lead to a number of severe complications.

  Moreover, not a bad diagnosis is the key to proper treatment.

  Any diagnosis begins with the collection of anamnesis.

  Much depends on the patient himself, who must provide complete information about when the first symptoms arose and how they manifested themselves.

  After collecting an anamnesis, a visual examination follows.

  The presence of symptoms on the body will only facilitate the diagnosis.

  Then a laboratory study is carried out, which implies:

  • clinical studies: general analysis of urine and blood. A complete blood count is characterized by eosinophilia and leukocytosis, as well as increased characteristics of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

    The urine may contain protein, as well as the highest characteristics of red blood cells, even cylinders may be present. This occurs if the process affects the urinary system;

  • biochemical research. During this examination, overestimated characteristics of immune complexes, as well as C-reactive protein, can be detected;
  • conducting an immunogram. The predominant immunoglobulins are E.

  In addition to laboratory diagnostics, provocative tests are carried out.

  Scratches are applied to the forearm or back with a scarifier.

  A drop of milk is applied to this place.

  For the most accurate diagnosis, several scratches are made and a specific component of the product is applied to each of them:

  • proteins;
  • fats;
  • or carbohydrates.

  If there is an increased sensitivity to any component, inflammation will form at the site of the scratch.

  Treatment does not always progress perfectly, therefore an allergic person must reverently and consciously approach his own health.

  But often patients underestimate the severity of the disease, as well as the risk of possible complications, which is why they can be negligent about treatment.

  It should not be forgotten that oversensitivity to this product is not a sentence, the disease can be cured, it all depends primarily on the patient's case for himself and his own health.

  But often patients underestimate the severity of the disease, as well as the risk of possible complications, which is why they can be negligent about treatment.

  Treatment first of all begins with a change in the type of life and the absolute exclusion of contact with the antigen.

  Consider the main components of proper treatment:

  • medications. The use of antihistamines, local and systemic corticosteroids, adrenomimetics, antispasmodics, enzyme preparations to the complex helps to deal with medical symptoms;
  • decrease in the sensitivity of the body to the allergen. For sensitization, two methods are used.

    The first option is to introduce a concentrated solution of the antigen itself into the body parenterally. At first glance, it seems that a reaction must develop here, but this does not happen.

  The thing is that immunity as a result of such a large amount of allergen is simply shocked and paralyzed for a while.

  In this case, the immune response will be weak, but anaphylactic shock will not develop;

  • change in the way of life. Throughout life, it is necessary to avoid any contact with the allergen.

  It is better to exclude the product from your own diet and replace it with products similar in composition.

  Even after years have passed, do not forget about precautions.

  May be misleading 1st reaction to milk after a long break.

  It will be quite insignificant, but subsequent contact with the allergen will already cause a violent reaction.

  In addition, it is better to exclude histamine-releasing foods from your own diet.

  These include strawberries, citrus fruits, sauerkraut, coffee, nuts.

  A pregnant lady is obliged to exercise moderation in the use of milk.

  It is better to replace the product with sour-milk food.

  Early attachment of the baby to the breast, as well as later introduction of complementary foods, is a guarantee of health.

  Uncontrolled intake of immunostimulants can contribute to the development of an overreaction.

  Stressful situations can also stimulate the onset of the disease.

  If you experience clinical symptoms consistent with hypersensitivity, you should immediately consult a specialist.

  An allergist specifically deals with the treatment of sensitization, in particular to milk.

  In addition, the symptoms that appear on the skin can be dealt with by a dermatologist.

  In general, the first thing to do is to contact a therapist who can also treat hypersensitivity, with the exception of a severe reaction.

  Now everything about milk allergy has become clear.

  Knowing the etiology, as well as the mechanisms of its development, you can fight the disease and emerge victorious.

  When you find the first symptoms, you need to contact a specialist.

  Do not forget, timely diagnosis is a guarantee of effective treatment!

If milk is not digested in an adult, it means that his body is not able to properly digest and assimilate lactose (milk sugar). This substance contains both milk and any dairy product. Such people are advised to either completely abandon dairy products, or try to get rid of dairy intolerance.

Milk can not be digested in an adult for various reasons.

The composition of lactose includes residues of the glucose molecule with galactose. The body's processing of dairy products will occur normally if a special enzyme is present in the intestines. It's called lactose. If a person suffers from milk intolerance, then this enzyme is either not active enough, or (it happens) is completely absent.

The absence or lack of lactose in the body can be for various reasons. If a person was born with such a diagnosis, then this is a genetic predisposition. This happens if the gene has a rare mutation and is observed even in newborns.

The secondary reason why there is a lack or absence of lactose in the body is considered to be the influence of the environment. This may be due to one or another disease in which the mucous membrane is destroyed in the small intestine.

Lactose intolerance has its own symptoms

If the enzyme necessary for the digestion of milk is absent in the body or it is too small, then lactose in the intestine accumulates undigested, this contributes to the fact that the intestinal microflora that assimilates lactose enhances its vital activity. The following happens: the abdomen swells, cutting pains appear in the abdomen, and all this may be accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting.



At the same time, it should be understood that similar symptoms may accompany some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, they can be mistaken for lactose intolerance.

Adult milk intolerance can be cured

When diagnosing lactose intolerance, various effective methods can be used:

• the air exhaled by a person is examined for hydrogen;
• analyze the stool for acidity;
• testing for milk tolerance;
• analyze the symptoms that appear when milk consumption is reduced.

Therapeutic therapy for patients who do not digest milk includes the consumption of probiotics with high antagonistic and enzymatic activity that does not contain lactose. Such therapy is possible with linex, bactisubtil, enterol, bifistim, bifiform and other drugs with a similar effect.



With pain, colic and swelling, therapy with myotropic antispasmodics that act selectively on smooth muscle will help.

Helps, of course, the exclusion (or significant reduction) of the diet of dairy products and milk. That is, all products that contain unsplit lactose.

The way out will also be the use of products that replace cow's milk. These include milk from soy, from rice, from almonds and coconut. In addition, it is recommended to eat foods that have a lot of calcium - dishes from fish, soy products, cabbage, turnips, broccoli and some others.

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Milk intolerance in humans is associated with the inability of the body to digest and absorb milk sugar (lactose). There are two types of lactose deficiency: acquired and congenital. In adults, it can appear at any age.

Causes

Acquired lactose intolerance occurs in adults and is of two types:

1. Primary, which is due to a decrease in enzyme activity.
2. Secondary - associated with damage to intestinal enterocytes.

For the breakdown of milk sugar found in dairy products, the enzyme of the small intestine, lactase, is responsible. During normal digestion, lactose in the gastrointestinal tract is broken down by an enzyme into galactose and glucose. In this form, the components are well absorbed in the intestines and do not cause discomfort.

For your information! The enzyme lactase is actively produced by the body in the first years of life. With age, its production decreases.

The rate of decline in enzyme activity is largely determined by ethnicity. The range has large fluctuations. So, the residents

• In Denmark, lactose intolerance among adults occurs in 3 out of 100 people,
• Russia - an average of 16 to 30 people out of 100,
• African-American ethnic group - almost 100 people out of 100.

With a lack of the enzyme, milk sugar in an unsplit form enters the large intestine, causing fermentation and increased gas formation. These symptoms are indicative of lactose intolerance.

The following diseases can provoke milk intolerance:

• flu;
• the use of antibiotics;
• surgical interventions in the digestive tract;
• intestinal infection of a bacterial or viral nature;
• celiac;
• Crohn's disease and other diseases of the small intestine;
• Gastroenteritis and other diseases that lead to atrophy of the villi of the small intestine;
• colitis (ulcerative).

Symptoms

Milk intolerance can manifest itself as discomfort after eating, for example, ice cream, cottage cheese or cheese.




Intolerance makes itself felt by such manifestations of varying intensity:

• diarrhea;
• spasms;
• nausea;
• bloating;
• increased gas formation;
• other signs, some of which may not be specific.

Lactose deficiency can be complete or partial


Partial intolerance. Depending on the level of lactose deficiency in the intestinal lumen, the degree of lactose deficiency may have a different degree. This affects the manifestation of symptoms. Flatulence can be very slight or manifest as severe swelling, supplemented by other symptoms.

Complete intolerance. Manifestations in the form of osmotic diarrhea after taking lactose-containing products. The manifestation is frequent loose stools with a repulsive sour odor.

The difference between allergies and intolerances

In addition to milk intolerance, there may be an allergy to milk-containing products. According to statistics, 2 out of 100 people are allergic to milk.

The symptoms of food allergies manifest themselves soon after eating the product, in contrast to intolerance, which manifests itself only after an hour.

Allergies can cause the following symptoms:

• suffocation;
• rash on the body;
• swelling of the tongue.

Diagnostics

It is not always possible for the patient to establish a connection between milk intake and the manifestation of symptoms.

Diagnostic methods:

1. Diet diagnostics. One of the clinical tests can be an analysis of a person's well-being after taking lactose-containing products and when they are excluded.
2. Analysis of feces for pH. Normally, it should be at least 5.5. With impaired absorption of lactose, it decreases.
3. Analysis of feces for carbohydrates (in adults they should be absent).
4. The method of carbon dioxide markers in exhaled air. For the test, the lactose consumed by the examined patient must be labeled.
5. Sugar analysis. A blood test is taken 2 times - on an empty stomach and after drinking a glass of milk. In a healthy person, the sugar level should jump up sharply, and if splitting is disturbed, the indicators may practically not change.
6. Determination of galactose in urine analysis using biochemical tests.

Treatment

The main direction of treatment of lactose intolerance in adults is the correction of nutrition. In the case of a severe form, no more than 1 gram of milk sugar can enter the body. With moderate enzyme deficiency - no more than 10 grams.
The choice of food is based on two indicators:

• the amount of lactose-containing food that will enter the body;
• its lactose content.

Advice! Products containing lactose are recommended to be consumed together with others, this will slow down the passage through the intestines and give more time for the breakdown of lactose.

Lactose is present in the following products:

• dairy products;
• condensed milk;
• semi-finished products;
• candies;
• sausages;
• ice cream;
• mustard;
• chocolate;
• instant puree in bags;
• mayonnaise;
• ketchup;
• bakery products.

Prevention

Adults suffering from lactose intolerance are advised by doctors to replace their usual milk with products that include lactose in small quantities:

• dairy products;
• low-lactose (lactose-free) milk, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Among the necessary measures:

• refusal to use condensed milk;
• exclusion from the diet of confectionery products containing milk sugar;
• lactose-containing drugs are contraindicated.

With a significant reduction in the consumption of milk or refusal of it, it is recommended to include in the diet such products that allow you to replenish calcium in the diet:

• almond;
• cereal crops;
• broccoli;
• canned fish (sardines, salmon and tuna),



For your information! If it is impossible to replace dairy products with low-lactose ones, lactase preparations may be prescribed.

With the secondary nature of the problem, the patient needs to undergo therapy for the underlying disease. Simultaneously with treatment, an appropriate diet should be observed. With recovery, the diet will gradually expand. It will be possible to introduce dairy products, monitoring the condition and passing a stool test. After treatment with antibacterial drugs, a person is prescribed medications containing beneficial lactobacilli.



Popular drugs include:

• Linex
• Lactiale
• BioGaia

Existing milk intolerance may not give negative complications and discomfort if you follow the appropriate diet and follow the doctor's recommendations.

The debate about the benefits of milk for an adult does not subside, as there are many arguments both for and against this product. This topic is especially relevant for people who are overweight or have certain health problems. Products from this product contain a lot of useful and neutral substances. However, some of them can be destructive to humans. Therefore, it is important to be guided by your individual characteristics.

Many people know that milk is an excellent product for a growing body. But the adult organism perceives its components in a completely different way. Despite a noticeable decrease in useful properties, there are serious prerequisites for the use of dairy products in the diet of a mature person:

1. This product is known to be very rich in calcium. Therefore, its regular use has a positive effect on the condition of people with bone fragility.
2. Protein, found in large quantities in milk, has important immunoglobulins. They help with infections and colds.
3. A huge role in the productive work of the nervous system is played by amino acids that can be obtained from dairy products. This is especially true for those who suffer from insomnia.
4. Some components have a positive effect on the acidity of gastric juice. Therefore, the product is recommended for heartburn.
5. Athletes often include milk in their diet, as it improves the process of protein formation. Thanks to this effect, it is possible to build muscle mass faster.

Each of these aspects clearly indicates that adults can, and sometimes even need to drink milk. However, it is impossible to look at this question from only one side. It is important to consider the negative impact of the product on the body.




Harm of milk

According to the beneficial properties of milk, one can understand that it is much more effective in people with certain diseases. But a completely healthy person will experience only a neutral result. And this is at best. Some do not recommend the introduction of dairy products into the diet at all. Scientists have identified the following possible harm to milk:

1. Allergic reactions. The product can cause various symptoms, up to bronchial asthma.
2. Lactose intolerance is another reason to give up milk. Milk will harm only those people who have such intolerance. With such a diagnosis, even a small portion will lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract. This is due to the peculiarities of the digestion of milk sugar.
3. The content of harmful fats.
4. Overweight. Milk is quite high in calories. Therefore, excess weight can appear from excessive consumption of the product.

People who do not suffer from special diseases or disorders can, of course, continue to drink milk. It won't do much harm. However, if there are contraindications described, you should seriously think about changing your diet.

Why is milk difficult to digest?

The key carbohydrate in milk, which is called lactose, has in its composition 2 types of sugars - glucose and galactose. Not surprisingly, it is also sometimes referred to as "milk sugar". Newborns actively produce a special enzyme - lactase. He copes with the process of splitting lactose, which is part of mother's milk. However, with age, the production of this enzyme decreases. At the same time, "milk sugar" is absorbed worse and worse.

To date, scientists have found that about 75% of the world's inhabitants suffer from lactose intolerance. This means that many people simply cannot fully digest this carbohydrate. It is important that the majority of the severity of this feature is different. It is noted that lactose intolerance manifests itself differently in certain regions of the planet.




When is milk contraindicated?

As already noted, milk is a fairly serious allergen that can cause negative reactions in the body. If alarm symptoms occur within a few hours of ingestion, a clinical test should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. Allergy manifests itself as follows:

• urticaria appears;
• breathing becomes difficult, wheezing or coughing is heard;
• diarrhea occurs, accompanied by abdominal cramps, vomiting;
• a characteristic feature is a runny nose and a rash around the mouth.

Milk allergy is a very serious condition that can cause unpredictable consequences. In case of complications, even death from anaphylactic shock is likely. Therefore, it is important to determine such a reaction in time and further adjust your diet.

Another reason to give up milk can be safely called lactose intolerance. There are several basic symptoms that indicate the presence of such a feature:

• bloating;
• the presence of cramping pain;
• increased gas formation;
• diarrhea;
• nausea and vomiting.

Symptoms of lactase deficiency appear within 2 hours of consuming the product. Often their intensity only increases with age. To avoid repeated reactions, dairy products should simply be excluded from the diet.

Another category of people who should exclude this product is people over 50. At this age, atherosclerosis is far from a rare diagnosis. Milk only worsens the condition in this disease. Yes, and metabolic processes over time do not work so productively. Therefore, it is worth at least reducing the usual portions of dairy products.

Should adults drink milk?

Scientists agree that milk can be consumed if tolerated. That is, if the body normally absorbs this product, it can be included in the diet. However, even the slightest discomfort after a meal should be a reason for its exclusion. In addition, the type of milk itself remains an essential point. It is best to choose a natural and not pasteurized product.

As already mentioned, it is difficult for people in old age to digest milk in any case. This is due to an increase in mucosal atrophy directly in the intestine. Therefore, the best solution would be to switch to dairy products. The same applies to patients with lactase deficiency. In any case, you should consult with a doctor who will focus on the results of laboratory tests.




If the need to consume milk remains, and lactose intolerance does not allow it to be done regularly, substitutes can be used. There are many herbal products on the market today. For example, coconut or soy milk is much better absorbed by the body than cow's milk. In addition, you can organize meals with the help of a lactose-free product.

Doctors about milk (video)

From the video you will learn the opinion of doctors about cow's milk.

Despite the huge number of myths around this component of the diet, most scientists agree that milk is a completely optional product for adults. Its useful properties are easily replaced by more digestible products. Therefore, the decision to drink milk depends entirely on personal preferences and health indicators.

It is believed that up to 12 g of lactose can be consumed at one time without health consequences.

In recent years, more and more people talk about the problem of lactase deficiency - that is, intolerance to milk protein. So you drank milk - and after half an hour you ran to the toilet.

Many adult Russians define this pathology in themselves and decide forever and ever to stop drinking milk and dairy products. And "milk" without lactose, unlike European countries, we can not find days with fire in our stores.

So do adults need milk? And what to do with lactase deficiency? This and other questions were answered by the well-known nutritionist, candidate of medical sciences, department of dietetics and nutrition, GOU DPO RMAPO, Lyudmila Volkova.

- So, let's start with what is lactase deficiency?

– Lactase deficiency (lactose intolerance) is a condition in which the body of a child or adult is not able to digest (absorb) milk sugar (lactose). Why? Because in the intestines of such a person, not enough special enzyme is produced - lactase.

Lactase deficiency is congenital, it is called neonatal hypolactasia. In addition, lactase deficiency is divided into primary (with which people are born) and secondary (it appears as a result of various diseases in the small intestine). Congenital lactase deficiency poses a serious threat to the life of newborns, since lactose is also found in breast milk. Fortunately, neonatal hypolactasia is relatively rare in Russia, accounting for 1 case per 50,000 newborns.

And how many patients with lactase deficiency among adults? Experts call completely different data.

- As evidenced by leading experts dealing with lactase deficiency, lactose intolerance occurs in 1–7% of cases among the adult population of Europe, and in Russia this figure ranges from 6 to 15% according to various sources.

How to understand if you have lactase deficiency or not? Some people live with it for years and do not even know about its presence ... Are there any diagnostic methods?

– Several methods are used to determine lactase deficiency in children and adults. For example, determination of total carbohydrates in feces, determination of acidity (pH) of feces, determination of hydrogen, methane or CO2 content in exhaled air, glycemic loading test with lactose. There are also genetic tests that help diagnose the condition.

What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?

- In children of the first months and years of life, lactase deficiency manifests itself in the form of regurgitation, flatulence, colic, diarrhea with foamy stools or, conversely, constipation, insufficient weight gain. However, similar symptoms can be characteristic not only for lactase deficiency. For this reason, a doctor's consultation is necessary for a correct diagnosis.

As for adults, they are characterized by increased gas formation, diarrhea and a feeling of nausea. Since these are also fairly common symptoms that are not necessarily associated with lactase deficiency, it is necessary to consult a doctor to find out the cause of these manifestations.

- Are there any risk groups? Who is more prone to lactase deficiency than others?

In healthy children, the activity of the lactase enzyme is maximum in the first few months and after birth, but then gradually decreases by adolescence, which, however, does not prevent the absorption of lactose from milk and sour-milk products in adulthood. The risk of developing secondary lactase deficiency is increased by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

– There are peoples (for example, the Chinese) who cannot drink milk at all. What is it connected with?

As a rule, lactase deficiency is rare among those peoples (populations) where there is a traditionally high consumption of milk and dairy products during life, as, for example, in Russia, where animal husbandry has more than one century. But the peoples of Southeast Asia are much more likely to have lactase deficiency. Lactose intolerance is a genetically determined feature of the body, and among the representatives of different nations, the percentage of people who are lactose intolerant is different.

- Is it necessary to treat lactase deficiency and how?

The only recommendation in case of suspected lactase deficiency is to consult a doctor. Only a specialist can prescribe the necessary studies and correctly interpret the test results and assess the patient's health status. For the treatment of patients with lactase deficiency, a set of measures is used, the basis of which is diet therapy, i.e. the appointment of a low-lactose or, if necessary, lactose-free diet. The complete exclusion of lactose from the diet of patients, especially children, is not advisable, since it is the main source of intake of substances in the child's body that are involved in the formation of the central nervous system and the retina of the eye. Lactose is necessary to stimulate the growth of the normal flora of the large intestine, the synthesis of B vitamins, promotes better absorption of magnesium and calcium, reducing the risk of anemia and rickets. A small amount of lactose in food stimulates the production of its own lactase enzyme. If necessary, the doctor will select the appropriate enzyme preparation.

- How relevant is the opinion that with lactase deficiency it is necessary to completely abandon dairy products?

- It all depends on the patient's state of health and the type of lactase deficiency. Only a doctor, ideally a dietitian, can choose the right diet. With the use of small amounts of milk and sour-milk products, the symptoms of lactase deficiency may not appear at all or be very mild. Those diagnosed with lactose intolerance to milk should pay attention to fermented milk products. Liquid fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, acidophilus) can become an adequate substitute for whole milk in the diet of a person with lactase deficiency, since in the production of fermented milk products, lactose is partially (up to 20-30%) split due to fermentation from microorganisms, leading to a decrease in concentration lactose in the finished product. In this form, it is absorbed better (3-8 times) than milk lactose. In addition, people with acquired (secondary) lactase deficiency can be included in the diet and other dairy products, such as sour cream, cottage cheese, cheeses and butter. It is believed that you can consume up to 12 g of lactose at a time without any health consequences.

- There is an opinion that adults do not need milk at all. This is true?

- With age, in people over 60 years old, the processes of atrophy of the intestinal mucosa increase, which entails an increase in the proportion of people with manifestations of lactase deficiency. Therefore, for older people, it is recommended to replace whole milk in the diet with fermented milk products, in which the lactose content is lower than in whole milk. In patients with pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, lactase deficiency is recorded in 30% of cases; recommendations for reducing the consumption of whole milk in favor of fermented milk products will also be relevant for them.

– In Europe, lactose-free dairy products are popular. Is this a way out or a marketing ploy?

– Lactose-free milk and dairy products can certainly be a good help in organizing the nutrition of patients with primary (congenital) lactase deficiency or for those who cannot refuse whole milk, for example, when preparing cereals, when added to coffee or tea.

How much dairy should an adult consume per day and why?

– Milk and sour-milk products are a source of substances important for the body, such as protein that is well digestible and complete in amino acid composition. In addition, in milk and dairy products there is an optimal ratio of such important elements as calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the normal condition of bones and teeth. Every day for an adult to maintain the body and maintain health, it is recommended to consume 1000 mg of calcium. In order to provide this amount of calcium with food, leading nutritionists recommend consuming at least three different dairy products per day (there is even a federal program called "Three Dairy Products a Day"). For example, for breakfast - 100 g of cottage cheese with a fat content of up to 9%, for a second breakfast or afternoon snack - a glass (100-150 g) of natural yogurt, and in the evening a glass of any fermented milk product (kefir, fermented baked milk, varenets, biolact, etc.) with fat content up to 3.5%.