Lactose Intolerance

This is a relatively common complaint, with as many as one in five people suffering from symptoms.

Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest lactose (milk sugar) because the body does not produce enough of the enzyme lactase which is responsible for digesting lactose. It can affect both children and adults, and the common symptoms are diarrhoea, bloating, discomfort. Lactose intolerance may occur temporarily following a bout of gastroenteritis, with diarrhoea being the main symptom. Lactose is present in cow’s milk, goat’s milk and sheep’s milk in similar quantities As with all intolerances the only solution is avoidance of the offending food.

For some people there is a dose related response, that is one may be able to tolerate milk in tea, but a glass of milk would cause symptoms. There is a test available for the diagnosis of lactose intolerance, called a lactose challenge, and for small babies and children this is a sensible course of action. It makes life much easier if you don’t have to exclude foods from your diet. Your GP would need to refer you to a specialist in this field, and they would be able to carry out the test and confirm the need for avoidance.