I have always heard people say they are lactose intolerant and I often wondered how that worked, I am a lover of milk, I take milk with everything, and I take milk for just taking milk’s sake, I could not imagine how to live without taking milk and I was grateful I didn’t have to be intolerant of lactose until recently. A few days ago, I drank a glass of milk and, within an hour, I began to feel sick. I had a stomachache, felt nauseous, and had to use the bathroom multiple times. I didn’t connect the dots between the milk and my symptoms because the milk had never affected me before. After this occurred to me again and again, I began to draw connections between drinking milk and experiencing these symptoms and I eventually concluded that I had developed lactose intolerance.
Those who suffer from lactose intolerance experience abdominal discomfort after consuming meals or beverages that contain lactose, such as bloating, diarrhea, and gas. Natural sources of lactose include milk and dairy goods like cheese and ice cream.
The inability to digest lactose is the root cause of the digestive complaints associated with lactose intolerance. In lactose malabsorption, the small intestine does not adequately process lactose, making it impossible for the body to use it for energy.
Some people with lactose intolerance can ingest lactose without experiencing any negative digestive effects. To be lactose sensitive, one must experience digestive distress.
Intolerant individuals can typically tolerate small amounts of dairy before experiencing discomfort. Each individual has a unique lactose tolerance range.
The inability to digest lactose is distinct from sensitivity to milk. Those who are allergic to milk have an autoimmune disease. An abnormal immune reaction to milk or milk derivatives is what causes milk allergy. It’s a very prevalent type of childhood allergy. A milk allergy is most commonly triggered by cow’s milk, but reactions can also occur when consuming milk from sheep, goats, buffalo, or any other animal.
Those who are lactose intolerant may experience unpleasant side effects just hours after consuming lactose-containing meals like milk and dairy products. The symptoms include:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Sickness
- Abdominal discomfort
- “Growling” or rumbling sounds in the stomach
- Vomiting
Depending on how much lactose you consume, your symptoms may range from mild to serious.
It’s not sane to Google every symptom you’re experiencing, so if you’ve been dealing with any of the above, schedule an appointment with your doctor or head to the emergency room. Your doctor will be able to provide you with a solution to the problem of lactose intolerance, which will allow your body to receive the nutrition it has been missing.