Talk About Intolerance!!!

Gut Level Intolerance

Naaah... I'm not talking about the other "intolerance" issue here. What I am talking about is much deeper as it occurs in our guts! 

Have you ever heard of LACTOSE Intolerance? Yep! It's that condition where individuals who have it cannot properly digest food items that contain lactose. LACTOSE is a sugar that's naturally found in milk and other dairy products. An enzyme called "lactase" is necessary to break down this kind of sugar. However, some individuals don't produce enough lactase and thus, leave them vulnerable to lactose. 

The symptoms of Lactose Intolerance are easy to identify, though they vary greatly. These symptoms oftentimes occur between 30 minutes and 2 hours after consuming dairy products. Some may experience mild symptoms and others might experience very severe ones. 

What to look for...

The usual GI symptoms accompany Lactose Intolerance. Bloating, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach ache may be manifested a few minutes to a couple of hours after ingesting dairy products.

 These symptoms occur always immediately after ingestion of dairy products. If you have symptoms sporadically throughout the week and have not consumed any dairy, then your GI issues may be caused by something else other than Lactose Intolerance.

Pay close attention to your food labels. Anything that might have lactose could trigger the symptoms accompanying lactose intolerance. Eliminating these things from your diet or substituting it with a Lactose-free item may greatly help prevent any intolerance episodes.

What Scientists Say

A July 1999 article submitted to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by researchers at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec indicates that the benefits of probiotics for lactose intolerance may depend on the specific species of lactobacilli -- other than L. acidophilus -- as well as the duration of exposure to the probiotic. Researchers concluded that while probiotics may benefit people with lactose intolerance, prebiotics -- which NCCAM describes as food ingredients that encourage "growth or activity" of microorganisms already in your intestines -- may ultimately be more effective.

Probiotic Supplement Cautions

Probiotics in cultured and fermented foods and beverages such as yogurt, tempeh, miso and soy drinks, have been consumed for centuries, NCCAM points out. Probiotic supplements, on the other hand, are classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as dietary supplements, not drugs. Dietary supplements cannot claim to treat or cure a specific condition. NCCAM states that probiotics research is still in the early stages, and far more studies need to be conducted to determine the health benefits and safety of probiotics, especially in children and the elderly population. Before you take probiotic supplements for lactose intolerance, talk with your physician.

Sources:

http://blog.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/2013/07/03/5-signs-you-might-be-lactose-intolerant/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/250580-probiotics-dairy-intolerance/#ixzz2Y907yqhC