Lactose is a sugar found in milk.
Lactose is the sugar (made up of glucose and galactose) that is present in milk . It is a disaccharide that is found in a proportion of between 4% and 5% in the milk of female mammals.
Before moving forward, we are going to discover the etymological origin of the term. Specifically, we can determine that it comes from Latin, more precisely from lac, lactis , which can be translated as "milk" .
Lactose and humans
In the case of humans , the correct absorption of lactose requires the presence of an enzyme called lactase (produced in the small intestine and synthesized during childhood ). If the body has little or no amount of lactase, lactose cannot be assimilated correctly and various discomforts occur.
Lack of lactase causes what is known as lactose intolerance . This means an inability to metabolize lactose due to a condition in the intestinal microvilli that are responsible for producing lactase.
It is possible to distinguish between permanent intolerance (hereditary and determined by the individual's genetics ) and temporary or reversible intolerance (also known as acquired intolerance , produced by a pathology or a specific situation that can be cured).
Lactose intolerance can lead to abdominal cramps and diarrhea in those who suffer from the disorder and consume dairy products.
Diagnosis of intolerance
In addition to all of the above, it is important to know that there are various methods to carry out the diagnosis of lactose intolerance. And some cases are difficult to determine and require specific systems to do so.
However, we find that these are the most significant methods in this regard:
- Blood test , through which it is possible to know what the initial blood glucose level is and from there the lactose overload that the person in question has.
- Genetic test . Among the latest systems established to determine intolerance is this test, which is increasingly being used for this purpose.
- Hydrogen breath test , which is currently the most used method to achieve the fastest, most effective and real results.
- Small intestine biopsy . Only in very specific and specific cases is this other system for detecting lactose intolerance used, which can be performed through endoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance
Symptoms of lactose intolerance occur after eating dairy products or foods derived from them. These symptoms may include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and skin rashes. As the level of lactase production varies from person to person, the characteristics of lactose intolerance and symptoms are not the same in all cases.
However, there are many other symptoms that indicate that a person suffers from lactose intolerance. Specifically, these include spasms, abdominal bloating, gas, vomiting, nervousness, various sleep disorders, tiredness, difficulties concentrating or tiredness.
Dietary control, therefore, is usually carried out through trial and error tests to determine which foods and in what quantities a subject can eat without experiencing adverse reactions.