Raise your hand if your digestive system has been personally victimized by dairy products. If your hand is up, you’re not alone. In fact, you are in the majority of people not just around your country, but around the world. The thing is with lactose intolerance is that it affects everyone differently. For some people it is quite severe. For others, effects are felt only after consuming large amounts of lactose-containing dairy products or products that are particularly high in lactose. If you are a milk, cheese, yogurt, and otherwise dairy lover, this is everything you need to know about lactose intolerance, the common signs and symptoms, and how to manage it.
All About Lactose and Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is the type of sugar present in milk and dairy products, aka products produced from the milk of cows. Lactose is composed of both of the molecules glucose and galactose. Intolerance to lactose, aka lactose intolerance, is a common condition characterized by the body’s inability to digest lactose, which is the sugar present in milk and dairy products. Individuals who are lactose intolerant have low levels of the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for breaking down lactose into these two components. This condition affects around 65% of the world’s population, with varying degrees of prevalence across different ethnicities.