Correlation of lactose maldigestion, lactose intolerance, and milk intolerance

Abstract

Lactose digestion and tolerance were evaluated in 164 African Americans ranging in age from 12 to 40 y who claimed intolerance to one cup (240 mL) or less of milk. With use of a breath-hydrogen test with 25 g lactose as test dose and the presence or absence of symptoms, 50% of the subjects were classified as lactose maldigesters and intolerant, 8% were maldigesters but tolerant, 15% were digesters but intolerant, and 27% were digesters and tolerant. Forty-five subjects from the lactose maldigesting and intolerant group were further tested for milk intolerance in a double-blind study. Sixty-seven percent of the subjects reacted appropriately to the presence or absence of lactose in ingested milk whereas 33% reported symptoms to both low-lactose milk and milk containing lactose. The results suggest that the cause of milk intolerance in as many as one-third of African Americans claiming symptoms after ingestion of a moderate amount of milk cannot be its lactose content.

Molecularly defined adult-type hypolactasia among working age people with reference to milk consumption and gastrointestinal symptoms

“…This is in line with other studies [6,8,9] showing that not all individuals with lactose malabsorption report symptoms from food containing lactose. T he colonic micro biota is variable [28] and the individual sensitivity to feel distension of the colon and to sense discomfort varies [29] .…”

“…celiac disease [3] . Cases of individuals suspecting they have lactose intolerance are more common than the true prevalence of adult-type hypolactasia [4][5][6][7][8][9] . It has been shown that lactose-restricted diets improve symptoms markedly for example in IBS patients with lactose malabsorption and reduce the number of visits to the outpatient clinics [10] .…”

Removing lactose from milk does not delay bowel function or harden stool consistency in lactose-tolerant women

“…Thus, lactose cannot be the reason for the increased symptoms. Similarly, several well-controlled studies have demonstrated that gastrointestinal symptoms after milk intake quite often occur independently of lactose intake (Rosado et al, 1987;Johnson et al, 1993;Vesa et al, 1996). It has been suggested that milk hypersensitivity in adults, which may be more common than previously thought, may cause gastrointestinal symptoms after milk intake (Pelto et al, 1998).…”

A new kinetic model proposed for enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose by a β-galactosidase from Kluyveromyces fragilis

“…Elimination of lactose intolerance (3-70% depending on the populational group [1]), encouraging the utilization of lactose as an energy source, as well as calcium and magnesium assimilation from milk. 2.…”