Overview:
Lactose intolerance occurs in the case of deficiency of the enzyme lactase, it occurs when that is lacking the enzyme that can break down lactose, the predominant sugar of milk (cow, goat, donkey over that breast milk), glucose and galactose. When not properly digested, the lactose remains in the intestine is fermented by the intestinal bacterial flora with consequent production of gas and diarrhea.
Causes:
In the first case it can arise due to a lack of the enzyme lactase from birth and emerges when the child takes the milk the first time. The baby will then be fed formulas without lactose avoiding, at least in the first few months if possible, the soy-based formulations. Because this is actually very rare …show more content…
Lactose intolerance, finally, it can manifest as a result of acute infectious diarrhea, for example by rotavirus: in this case intolerance is transient type, regresses in 3-4 months and can manifest the top of the diarrhea or during its course. …show more content…
If you administer a lactose intolerant person and you run the breath test will be possible to recover a proportion of hydrogen in the breath exhaled higher than that found before administration. The test normally takes 2-3 hours to be completed.
Other diagnostic alternatives are represented by duodenal biopsy and from a specific blood test.
Treatment:
The treatment consists of a diet that excludes foods containing lactose and therefore mainly cow's milk, goat's milk, fresh dairy products, ice cream, cream and many cakes and biscuits containing milk. You have to be very attentive to sources "hidden" lactose as this substance is frequently used as an additive especially ham, sausages and in the sausages in general.
Many pre-cooked food and some types of sandwich bread can contain lactose. We recommend slightly always good labels.
It is usually best to avoid taking the beginning of the diet even small amounts of lactose to check the disappearance of symptoms. Having established that indeed all disturbances have disappeared with the elimination of lactose from the diet, each person can try to take increasing doses of lactose to test the limit of their tolerance.