Lactose intolerance is a condition in which the body does not support the ingestion of lactose through the consumption of milk, cheese, and other dairy products. This intolerance occurs due to the lack of the enzyme intestinal lactase, which is an enzyme found in newborns. The frequency of this enzyme declines rapidly after the child stops breastfeeding. Lactase deficiency is most prevalent in Asia, Africa and Indigenous populations in North and South America. The symptoms of lactose intolerance include diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain and excessive flatus. The cause of these symptoms is the processing of the ingested lactose being fermented by intestinal bacteria instead of in the small intestine, where lactose is meant to be processed.

Lactose Intolerance References

Lactose Degradation References