Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is due to your body’s inability to produce or deficiency in the production of lactase. Two main reasons why your body is not able to produce enough lactase to help break down lactose include:

Primary Lactose Intolerance

Primary lactose intolerance is the most common type of lactose intolerance and is due to age. The older you get the less lactase your body produces. This type of lactose intolerance can partially be passed through family lines genetically and affects certain populations more than others. According to the food intolerance network, lactose intolerance affects 5-17% of Europeans, approximately 44% of Americans, approximately 50% of Latino/Hispanic people, and 60-80% of Africans and Asians.

Secondary Lactose Intolerance

Secondary lactose intolerance normally occurs when the small intestine is impaired due to an illness, injury, surgery, or more serious issue like Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease. This is because the production of lactase decreases when the small intestine becomes inflamed. Treatment of the disorder might restore the function of the small intestine and return lactase levels to normal.

To learn more about lactose intolerance, contact your local GI Alliance office to connect with a GI specialist that specializes in the condition and can provide expert tips and information on how to remedy your irritation.