Best Ways To Treat Lactose Intolerance

Tuesday, December 15, 2015, 15:21 [IST]

Lactose intolerance is a common problem that is characterised by the difficulty in digesting lactose. This can occur due to a failure in the production of the lactase enzyme in the body, which is needed for the proper breakdown of lactose.

Therefore, in this case, bacteria present in the intestine will produce gas as a byproduct from the fermentation of this sugar, causing various associated symptoms. Lactose intolerance can occur not only by consuming milk, but also by other milk products.

There is no direct treatment for this problem. We can only avoid the severity of the symptoms. The mode of management for lactose intolerance depends on the severity of the problem and the intensity of the symptoms. Dietary adjustment is the most common method that can be used to manage lactose intolerance.

It is important to make sure that the real problem is lactose intolerance. There are many other problems like milk allergy that should be ruled out, which have almost the same symptoms. If you experience bloating, cramps, acidity or diarrhoea after taking milk or dairy products, chances are more that you are lactose intolerant.

Here, we will discuss 7 ways to tackle lactose intolerance. Have a look!

Limiting Dairy Foods

Milk and milk products are the major sources of lactose for our body. Avoiding or limiting the intake, depending on the severity of the symptoms, is the most effective one among the different methods to treat lactose intolerance.

Use Dairy Alternatives

After all, it's all about the nutrients that you get from milk and milk products. So, the best idea is to find proper effective alternatives for these nutrients. You can consider soy milk as an alternative. This is one among the most useful 7 ways to tackle lactose intolerance.

Read The Labels

Before consuming any products from the stores, it is always recommended to read the label for its ingredients. There can be lactose found in the products, even when you never expect it. So, be careful whenever you take processed food or when being in a party. This is one among the different methods to treat lactose intolerance.

Try Yogurt

If you are a person with mild symptoms of lactose intolerance, you can consider trying yogurt as an alternative. This contains comparatively less amount of lactose. Also, the bacteria in yogurt produce the lactase enzyme when they die in the gut, making it possible to digest the lactose.

Lactase Treatment

There are different treatments for lactose intolerance that use the lactase enzyme. The most popular one is the use of lactase tablets that contain enough amount of the enzyme for digestion. Also, lactase-enriched milk is available in the market these days, especially for the people who have lactase deficiency.

Spread The Intake

If you don't have severe lactose intolerance symptoms, you can try to spread the intake of dairy products throughout the day in limited amounts. Some experts suggest that taking dairy products along with other foods can also reduce the intensity of the symptoms.

Lactose-reduced Products

There are commercially available products that are specially labelled as lactose-reduced products. These products will keep you away from the difficult symptoms of digestive disturbances.

Out of the different methods to treat lactose intolerance, find the best one that matches your digestive system after a trial and error method for some days.