Stomach discomfort when drinking cow’s milk and its derivatives may be a case of lactose intolerancea disorder that impairs the body’s total or partial ability to digest milk sugar.
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As a result, the body cannot produce enough lactasedigestive enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose, which ends up going straight to the large intestine where it associates with bacteria that cause diarrhea, cramps and increased abdominal volume. Symptoms of the syndrome vary depending on the amount of lactose ingested from individual to individual.
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In Brazil, there is a Bill 2663/2003 that is still being voted on, which aims to oblige manufacturers of products that contain lactose to inform on the label or packaging the composition of the product.
Many national and multinational companies in the food sector, especially those that sell leite and its derivatives, already develop lactose-free products to serve this niche market.
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Causes of Lactose Intolerance
The causes of lactose intolerance may be the result of a primary deficiency of lactasea secondary disability and even a congenital one, which tends to be extremely rare.
Primary deficiency is the most common form of the disorder, as it is directly linked to the individual’s diet and consists of a natural and progressive decrease in the production of lactase from adolescence onwards. At birth, the body produces a lot of enzymes lactase, as milk is the primary source of nutrition. As the person grows and introduces other foods to their dietthere is a decline in the production of lactasewhich can lead to a lactose intolerance.
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That’s why before cutting the leite of cow diet of children, it is necessary to talk to the pediatrician, as many do not recommend definitively cutting the leite and diet childish. Not to mention, there are other nutrients in milk that are important for health, such as vitamins A and D, riboflavin and phosphorus, which will have to be replaced.
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The secondary deficiency of lactase is a disorder that results from diseases in the small intestine, caused by, for example, acute gastroenteritis, persistent diarrhea, or other damage to the intestinal mucosa and can occur at all ages, but is more common in childhood. In premature or malnourished babies who develop infectious diarrhea, lactose intolerance can be a decisive factor in determining the evolution of the disease.
It’s at congenital lactase deficiency is extremely rare and causes babies to be born without producing the difficult lactase.
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Different from milk allergy and its derivatives, which is an immunological reaction to milk proteins, which can affect the respiratory system and even cause skin irritation, lactose intolerance may only require changes to the diet of everyday life, replacing the leite beef for other sources of calcium.
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The best option is to choose dairy products that do not cause as much discomfort when digested or that do not contain lactosesuch as goat milk, soy milk, etc.
Reading the label of products and foods is also essential, as often the lactose It is also found in some non-dairy products, such as medicines and even beer. However, it is important to have a doctor help you to assess whether the lactose intolerance is associated with other gastrointestinal diseaseswhich can cause malnutrition and weight loss.
