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Why you can't digest Milk Products well.



Lactose is defined as the type of sugar found in milk and diary products.

Lactose Intolerance on the other hand as the name implies is a condition in which your digestive system fails to breakdown or digest and absorb this type of sugar into your body system.

What could be the cause?

From elementary integrated science we were told that the body produces some chemicals called 'enzymes' in the digestive tract that aid the breakdown of large molecules of the foods we eat into digestible and absorbable forms so the body can make use of it.

 So lactose intolerance then means the inability of the body to digest and absorb milk and diary products due to a deficiency in an enzyme known as 'Lactase' which is saddled with the responsibility of breaking down the Lactose sugar.

In some people it develops at adult stages in life (which is more common) but for some it is congenital meaning they were born with that (condition).

And sadly babies born with such conditions can't even digest the Human breast milk due to the total absence of this enzyme though such cases are rare.

For others too it could be as a result of disease conditions such as Crohn's disease or surgical removal of some part of the small intestines.

Symptoms.

*Feelings of bloatedness in the stomach and the abdomen generally due to production of gases in the large intestine as a result of the activities of bacteria in there on the unabsorbed lactose.

* Abdominal cramps a few hours after consuming such foods.

* Flatulence.

* Borborygmi ( rumbling noise in the stomach).

* Nausea and Vomiting.

* Loose stools and diarrhea.

Whenever you notice you have a pattern of these symptoms after consuming dairy products, the wisest thing to do is to stop taking them and then see your doctor, who may prescribe an over-counter- dose of lactase to help ease the problem.

Have a  Lactose Tolerant week.😁



  • Photo credit: kidshealth.com

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