The Factors That Contribute To Lactose Intolerance In Relation To Enzymes?

3.0 rating based on 36 ratings

Lactose intolerance is a common condition where the body does not produce enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, to break down the sugar in dairy products. This condition can cause digestive distress when consuming dairy products. It is not to be confused with lactase deficiency, which is relatively rare. People who are lactase deficient are called “congenital lactase deficiency” and throughout their lives, they are unable to break down the disaccharide lactose.

The symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, abdominal cramps, nausea, and other unpleasant symptoms. The lack of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine is usually responsible for lactose intolerance. There are four types of lactose intolerance:

  1. Congenital lactase deficiency, also known as congenital alactasia, is a disorder where the body produces less lactase due to a bowel problem.
  2. Lactose intolerance is caused by the absence or insufficient production of the digestive enzyme β-galactosidase (lactase). Affected individuals are unable to break down the disaccharide lactose, the main carbohydrate found in dairy foods.
  3. Lactase intolerance is a common phenomenon based on the absence or insufficient production of the digestive enzyme β-galactosidase (lactase). Common symptoms include bloating, gas, and difficulty digesting milk sugars.

In conclusion, lactose intolerance is a common condition where the body does not produce enough lactase to break down lactose, the sugar in dairy products. While lactase supplementation may be beneficial for some individuals, it is not covered by available guidelines.

Useful Articles on the Topic
ArticleDescriptionSite
Lactose intolerance: Learn More – Causes and diagnosis …The small intestine produces an enzyme called lactase. Thus, individuals with lactose intolerance typically exhibit elevated levels of hydrogen in their breath.www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Lactose intolerance – GeneticsThe absence or reduction of lactase activity can be attributed to both genetic and non-genetic factors. Congenital lactase deficiency, also referred to as congenital lactose intolerance, represents a disorder…medlineplus.gov
Lactose intoleranceLactose intolerance is defined as the diminished capacity to digest milk sugars due to inadequate levels of the gut enzyme lactase. The symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating and flatulence.www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

📹 Lactose Intolerance: Everything You Need To Know

Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Types of Lactose Intolerance 1:40 Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance 2:16 Treatment for Lactose …


What is the best enzyme for lactose intolerance?

Lactaid Sodium Lactase Enzyme Rankings: Lactose Intolerance MedicationRankBrandActive/Key Ingredients (sample product)#1 Score: 100LactaidSodium Lactase Enzyme#2 Score: 43Nature’s WayLactase Enzyme#3 Score: 22Schiff Digestive AdvantageBC30 Bacillus Coagulans Lactase#4 Score: 18Best NaturalsLactase Enzyme.

Please consult your health care provider for specific guidance on health products that may be appropriate for you. While U. S. News lists the results of the survey, U. S. News does not recommend or endorse any health products listed here. Please see Disclaimer and a Note About Your Health. Read about the survey here.

When you use our links to buy products, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

Methodology. To rank the Best OTC Medicines and Health Products, U. S. News partnered with The Harris Poll, a global market research and consulting firm with more than 65 years of experience conducting surveys. For the 2024 rankings, The Harris Poll randomly assigned 132 over-the-counter product groups to 354 pharmacists and 122 dermatologists who practice in the U. S. and asked them to rank their top three brands. In the end, more than 900 brands were included in the comprehensive survey. Brands included in the survey have products in their respective categories that can be purchased without a prescription. Brand popularity was a factor, and the survey only included brands with a large number of internet reviews or high search volumes.

What scientifically causes lactose intolerance?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What scientifically causes lactose intolerance?

Too little of an enzyme produced in your small intestine (lactase) is usually responsible for lactose intolerance. You can have low levels of lactase and still be able to digest milk products. But if your levels are too low you become lactose intolerant, leading to symptoms after you eat or drink dairy.

The small intestine and colon are parts of your digestive tract, which processes the foods you eat. The intestines take nutrients from the foods. What isn’t absorbed by the intestines continues along the digestive tract and is passed as stool during a bowel movement.

Most people with lactose intolerance can manage the condition without having to give up all dairy foods.

Do humans naturally become lactose intolerant?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Do humans naturally become lactose intolerant?

  • Lactose intolerance often runs in families (hereditary). In these cases, over time a person’s body may make less of the lactase enzyme. Symptoms may start during the teen or adult years.
  • In some cases, the small intestine stops making lactase after an injury or after a disease or infection.
  • Some babies born too early (premature babies) may not be able to make enough lactase. This is often a short-term problem that goes away.
  • In very rare cases, people are born with an inability to make any lactase at all.

What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?. Each person’s symptoms may vary. Symptoms often start about 30 minutes to 2 hours after you have food or drinks that have lactose.

  • Belly (abdominal) cramps and pain
  • Nausea
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Diarrhea
How do you increase lactose enzymes?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do you increase lactose enzymes?

Lactose intolerance is a condition affecting millions worldwide, causing discomfort after consuming dairy products. This is due to the body’s reduced ability to produce lactase, the enzyme essential for lactose digestion. However, recent studies suggest that it is possible to increase lactase enzyme production naturally. Natural sources of lactase enzymes include fermented dairy products, which can be more digestible for those with lactose intolerance due to their natural lactase content. Probiotics found in yogurts and fermented foods like kefir may help balance gut flora, indirectly supporting lactase production and activity. Gradual exposure to lactose over time may improve tolerance by increasing the number of gut bacteria that can break down lactose. Certain probiotics and fermented dairy products contain bacteria that can help digest lactose, potentially alleviating symptoms.

Managing stress levels is crucial for enhancing lactase enzyme production naturally. Stress can affect overall digestive function, leading to symptoms like bloating or discomfort when consuming lactose. Reducing stress can improve gut health and digestive efficiency, although it doesn’t directly increase lactase enzyme production.

What causes lactose intolerance genetically?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What causes lactose intolerance genetically?

Congenital lactase deficiency is caused by variants (also called mutations) in the LCT gene. The LCT gene provides instructions for making the lactase enzyme. Variants in the LCT gene that cause congenital lactase deficiency are believed to interfere with the processing and function of lactase, causing affected infants to have a severely impaired ability to digest the lactose in breast milk or formula.

Lactase nonpersistence in adulthood is caused by the gradually decreasing activity (expression) of the LCT gene after infancy, which occurs in most humans. LCT gene expression is controlled by a DNA sequence called a regulatory element, which is located within a nearby gene called MCM6. Some individuals have inherited changes in this element that lead to sustained lactase production in the small intestine and the ability to digest lactose throughout life. People without these changes have a reduced ability to digest lactose as they get older, resulting in the signs and symptoms of lactase nonpersistence.

Congenital lactase deficiency is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the LCT gene in each cell must have a variant to cause the disorder. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the altered gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.

What is the chemistry behind lactose intolerance?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the chemistry behind lactose intolerance?

If you’re lactose intolerant, your body doesn’t make enough of an enzyme called lactase. Lactase breaks down lactose, which is a sugar found in milk. Without lactase, you’re not able to digest lactose. And that can cause some serious gastrointestinal distress.

Sam: Yep, can confirm. And even things like Lactaid—which are pills with that lactase enzyme—still don’t work for me and they don’t actually seem to work for a substantial number of people. There was a study that came out in 2014 that showed that about 20% of people were like me—supplemental lactase didn’t help them. If you’re one of those people you might not be taking enough lactase, or enough for the amount of dairy you’re trying to also eat, or your timing is off and you’re not taking it early enough before you eat or you’re taking it too early. I dunno, I really feel like I have tried every iteration under the sun and it’s always a no-go. No matter how much Lactaid I take, my GI tract is still very, very unhappy every time I encounter lactose..

Deboki: We’ll talk about that GI stuff in just a second. But first let’s further complicate things. If you don’t produce that lactase enzyme you’re considered “lactase non-persistent.” However, just because you’re lactase non-persistent, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lactose intolerant. Mark Thomas: Lactose intolerance is very difficult to define and pin down, but lactase non-persistence, which is the main thing that causes lactose intolerance, is very easy to define and reasonably easy to predict from genetics. Deboki: That’s Mark Thomas, a professor of evolutionary genetics at University College London in England.

Why do some people not produce lactase?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Why do some people not produce lactase?

Lactase nonpersistence in adulthood is caused by the gradually decreasing activity (expression) of the LCT gene after infancy, which occurs in most humans. LCT gene expression is controlled by a DNA sequence called a regulatory element, which is located within a nearby gene called MCM6. Some individuals have inherited changes in this element that lead to sustained lactase production in the small intestine and the ability to digest lactose throughout life. People without these changes have a reduced ability to digest lactose as they get older, resulting in the signs and symptoms of lactase nonpersistence.

Congenital lactase deficiency is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the LCT gene in each cell must have a variant to cause the disorder. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the altered gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.

The ability to digest lactose into adulthood depends on which variants in the regulatory element within the MCM6 gene individuals have inherited from their parents. The variants that promote continued lactase production are considered autosomal dominant, which means one copy of the altered regulatory element in each cell is sufficient to sustain lactase production. People who have not inherited these variants from either parent are lactase nonpersistent and will have some degree of lactose intolerance.

Why are Europeans not lactose intolerant?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Why are Europeans not lactose intolerant?

Professor George Davey Smith, Director of the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol and a co-author of the study, said: “To digest lactose we need to produce the enzyme lactase in our gut. Almost all babies produce lactase, but in the majority of people globally that production declines rapidly between weaning and adolescence. However, a genetic trait called lactase persistence has evolved multiple times over the last 10, 000 years and spread in various milk-drinking populations in Europe, central and southern Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Today, around one third of adults in the world are lactase persistent.”

By mapping patterns of milk use over the last 9, 000 years, probing the UK Biobank, and combining ancient DNA, radiocarbon, and archaeological data using new computer modelling techniques, the team were able to show that the lactase persistence genetic trait was not common until around 1, 000 BC, nearly 4, 000 years after it was first detected around 4, 700–4, 600 BC.

Professor Thomas added: “The lactase persistence genetic variant was pushed to high frequency by some sort of turbocharged natural selection. The problem is, such strong natural selection is hard to explain.”

What enzymes cause lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is the reduced ability to digest milk sugars, due to insufficient amounts of the gut enzyme called lactase.

What is the root cause of lactose intolerance?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What is the root cause of lactose intolerance?

Causes of lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is usually the result of your body not producing enough lactase.

Lactase is an enzyme (a protein that causes a chemical reaction to occur) normally produced in your small intestine that’s used to digest lactose.

If you have a lactase deficiency, it means your body doesn’t produce enough lactase.

Digesting lactose. After eating or drinking something containing lactose, it passes down your oesophagus (gullet) into your stomach, where it’s digested. The digested food then passes into your small intestine.

What race is the least lactose intolerant?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What race is the least lactose intolerant?

80 percent of all African-Americans and Native Americans are lactose intolerant. Over 90 percent of Asian-Americans are lactose intolerant, and it is least common among Americans with a Northern European heritage.


📹 Lactose Intolerance

Lactose Intolerance. The digestive system consists of specialized organs and glands that process food and supply nutrients to …


The Factors That Contribute To Lactose Intolerance In Relation To Enzymes
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Elle Pierson

Hi, I’m Elle Pierson, RN, MBA—a passionate Healthcare Consultant dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to achieve better health outcomes. As a TEDx Speaker, Author, and Mentor, I bring my expertise in medicine and healthcare management to help others navigate complex systems with confidence. My mission is to inspire change and create meaningful solutions in the world of healthcare. Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Executive MBA from Texas Woman’s University.
Email: [email protected]

About me

Add comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Dehydration Level Calculator

Select dehydration symptoms
Choose the symptoms you are experiencing to assess your dehydration level.

Tip of the day!

Pin It on Pinterest

We use cookies in order to give you the best possible experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies.
Accept
Privacy Policy