What Is Lactose Intolerance (Lactase Deficiency)? What Causes Lactose Intolerance?
People with lactose intolerance or lactase deficiency cannot metabolize lactose properly; they lack lactase, an enzyme required in the digestive system to break down lactose. Patients typically experience a bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea after drinking milk. Lactose is a sugar that is found most notably in milk. At least three-quarters of adults show decreased lactase activity as they get older. Lactose intolerance is less common in northern than southern Europe; it is more common in Africa and Asia than in Europe. According to Medilexicon’s medical dictionary: Lactose intolerance is a disorder characterized by abdominal cramps and diarrhea after consumption of food that contains lactose (milk, ice cream); believed to reflect a deficiency of intestinal lactase; may appear first in young adults who had tolerated milk well as infants. Symptoms can range from some mild discomfort to severe, depending on how much lactase they produce and the extent of their consumption of milk and othe
