Lactose Intolerance

Cheese. Milk. Dairy. The products that everyone around the world loves. Ice Cream, for God’s sake! What would we do without them? Well, unfortunately, lots of people across the globe have  a dairy allergy, called Lactose Intolerance. Lactose Intolerance is the body’s inability to absorb and break down lactose, which results in stomach problems. This results in indigestion and diarrhea.

The cause for this is the body’s lacking of lactase, an enzyme that is supposed to split lactose into glucose and galactose. Because this lactose molecule is not split, it goes down as a whole, rather than lining your small intestine as it is supposed to. The reason for the lacking of this enzyme is due to evolution. As a baby, nearly everyone has this enzyme. This is because babies need to consume their mother’s milk in order to survive. This is the main source of nutrition, and therefore it is necessary that the baby be able to break down the lactose. But as we age, and grow teeth, we are able to consume other nutrients, so our body assume that we should no longer be consuming milk, and gets rid of this enzyme. Unfortunately, people still like to consume all the products that I’ve mentioned, because, well, frankly, they’re delicious.

Because the human body has evolved over time, and this is one of the decisions that it has made, many studies have shown that most human beings are lactose intolerant, whether they know it or not. This article says that some Asian countries report that over 90% of their population is lactose intolerant, which makes sense, for they do not farm many cows, nor do they consume them. Countries that consume the most milk are either Slavic or American, which makes sense, for they produce the most cows. Lactose intolerance is also the lowest rates in these countries.

Lactaid, a company that makes products for the lactose intolerant, has made a fortune making artificial dairy products, such as almond milk and lactase pills.

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These lactase pills were revolutionary when they were released in the 1970’s, for they allowed people with a lactose intolerance to eat dairy products freely, without feeling the repercussions. These pills work by adding the lactase enzyme to the human body, which allows the lactose to be broken down into its two halves.

Lactose intolerance is a problem that effects Americans and people around the world every day, but with great advances in medical technology, we have been able to curb its harm. My older sister is lactose intolerant, and whenever she wants to eat pizza, or drink a milkshake, all she has to do is take a tiny little lactaid tablet, and her worries are all gone. She is able to eat and drink freely thanks to companies like lactaid, who work hard in their research each day in order to make live’s like hers more comfortable.

2 thoughts on “Lactose Intolerance

  1. Erin Ann Alessandroni

    Benjamin, great post! My favorite food in the whole wide world is ice cream. I have had it every single day since I have been at school; freshman fifteen here I come! Anyways, one of my best friends from home frequently claims to be lactose intolerant and therefore can not consume ice cream. I retaliate that ice cream gives everyone a tummy ache when eaten in large doses and that he should suck it up and enjoy the delicious treat and endure the consequences. This suggestion correlates with your mentioned hypothesis that “most human beings are lactose intolerant”. I researched whether or not lactose intolerance could be all in someone’s head. Time magazine wrote an article on an Italian study that examined this question. The results suggest that only suggests that only one third of patients who believe they are suffering from lactose intolerance actually are. The symptoms could potentially be a “manifestation of a psychiatric condition” for the rest.

  2. Caitlyn Elizabeth Davis

    I certainly could not imagine what it would be like to be lactose intolerant because I love yogurt, milk, cheese, and of course ice cream! However, I know many people that are affected by it. My cousin, Kyle, is lactose intolerant, has celiac disease, and even diabetes. He has to watch his diet and be very careful in what he eats. Every time we go out to dinner he has to tell the waitress this, so he can have a nice dinner. He is still able to enjoy ice cream and other diary products but like you mentioned in your post about Lactaid. Arctic Zero is a brand of ice cream my cousin enjoys that is gluten free, lactose free, fat free, and GMO free. Check out the link to the website!

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