Lactose Intolerance Research Paper
Introduction:
Lactose intolerance is defined as the incapacity of the human body to digest the disaccharide sugar molecule, lactose.
Lactose is a common carbohydrate found primarily in milk and associated dairy products. This widely known gastrointestinal disorder is typified by symptoms like nausea & vomiting, bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain and even diarrhoea. Lactose intolerance is a non-fatal disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. It is simply a nuisance and relatively harmless in and of itself. However, it might be indicative of much worse gastrointestinal disorders.
Causes:
Lactose Intolerance is mainly caused by hypolactasia (decreased amount of lactase) and sometimes through alactasia (total lack of lactase), a congenital …show more content…
condition.
Lactose is a disaccharide. So, it has to be broken down to simpler molecules before it can be thoroughly utilized by the body. This is where lactase comes into play. Lactase is an enzyme which catalyses lactose’s hydrolysis. Let’s take a look at this reaction:
Lactose + Water lactase Glucose + Galactose
Glucose and Galactose are both monosaccharides which can be absorbed by the intestinal enterocytes and passed into the bloodstream. But, prior to this, the lactose molecule is hydrolysed with the help of lactase enzyme. This enzyme exists in the vicinity of the brush border of the intestinal lumen.
However, if an individual has hypolactasia or alactasia, then the lactose passes through the small intestine undigested and unperturbed.
This is due to the fact that there is no lactase to digest the lactose ingested.
Furthermore, the lactase levels in an infant gradually decrease after weaning( shift of diet from milk). So, adults usually do not have sufficient lactase in their systems.
Symptoms:
The most salient symptoms of this disorder are bloating, flatulence, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain etc.
After the lactose passes through the small intestine in an undigested state, it reaches the large intestine. The colon is home to hundreds of thousands of bacteria. These bacterial cells then ferment the lactose. The by-products of this fermentation include hydrogen, methane, carbon dioxide gases, lactic acid and other such compounds.
The H2, CH4 & CO2 gases build up in the colon and cause bloating which is the swelling up of the large intestine. This also causes flatulence as the gases are passed out of the body.
The undigested lactose and the by-products after bacterial fermentation altogether increase the osmotic load of the colon. Thus, water passes into the cavity through resulting in diarrhoea shown by watery
stool.
Affected population:
In most cases, all human babies have substantial levels of lactase available at their disposal. But after growth and aging, the diet is changed from milk, a lactose-rich food, to other sources. This is called weaning.
In adulthood, most cultures around the world take to other foods. Interestingly enough, 95% of the white Caucasian population of Northern Europe and its progeny is lactase persistent. Even after early childhood, the people of that race have built up lactase in their bodies due to the continued diet on milk-based food. So, they do not usually exhibit lactose intolerance.
Other racial groups like Africans, Asians, Native Americans etc. are generally deprived of any dairy diet in adulthood. So, they are more likely to be lactose intolerant.
Diagnosis:
In order to find out whether an individual is lactose intolerant, there are a number of different examinations carried out. But most significant of them are the Hydrogen Breath Test, Blood Glucose Test and Stool Acidity Test. They are-
Hydrogen Breath test:
If there is lactose intolerance then lactose will be decomposed bacterially in the colonic environment. Thus, H2 gas is produced. Therefore, it can be detected experimentally.
A primary reading of a patient’s breath is taken. This is the baseline which is taken as a reference point. Next, the patient consumes 25 grams of lactose. Every 15-20 minutes thereafter, subsequent breath tests are conducted. This breath collection resumes for about 3-5 hours more.
If the amount of H2 in the patient’s breath is >20 ppm above the baseline, then it may be concluded that the patient possesses lactose intolerance.
Blood Glucose Test:
Lactose is simplified into glucose and galactose. The glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream which can be calculated using this glucose blood test. If, however, there is a fall in blood glucose levels, it is evident that lactose in the gut has not been disintegrated.
The patient is ingests about 0.75-1.50 gm of lactose per kg of body weight. If blood glucose level falls below 25 mg/100 ml of blood, then it is conclusive evidence of lactose intolerance.
Stool Acidity Test:
This test is designed for detection in babies and young children as other methods might be deemed dangerous and impractical for them.
Here, the patient takes a tiny amount of lactose per os. If the lactose is not digested in the small intestine, then colonic bacteria ferment the content and form lactic acid as a product. The patient’s faeces are tested for an increase in lactic acid. If an appreciable amount is detected, the verdict is lactose intolerance.
Treatment:
Since, there is no clear-cut medicinal treatment, the disorder is managed by following a disciplined dietary regimen.
Lactose-rich foods like milk and derived dairy foodstuffs are avoided Foods hidden with lactose such as processed cereals, custard, milk chocolate, margarine etc. are also overlooked Substitutes for milk are preferred. These might be soy milk, coconut milk, peanut milk and so forth Food labels are carefully perused for signs of lactose Pre-digested food with lactase enzyme like yoghurt or powdered milk is consumed Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are taken as their absence cause osteoporosis and rickets
Lactose intolerance is defined as the incapacity of the human body to digest the disaccharide sugar molecule, lactose.
Lactose is a common carbohydrate found primarily in milk and associated dairy products. This widely known gastrointestinal disorder is typified by symptoms like nausea & vomiting, bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain and even diarrhoea. Lactose intolerance is a non-fatal disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. It is simply a nuisance and relatively harmless in and of itself. However, it might be indicative of much worse gastrointestinal disorders.
Causes:
Lactose Intolerance is mainly caused by hypolactasia (decreased amount of lactase) and sometimes through alactasia (total lack of lactase), a congenital …show more content…
condition.
Lactose is a disaccharide. So, it has to be broken down to simpler molecules before it can be thoroughly utilized by the body. This is where lactase comes into play. Lactase is an enzyme which catalyses lactose’s hydrolysis. Let’s take a look at this reaction:
Lactose + Water lactase Glucose + Galactose
Glucose and Galactose are both monosaccharides which can be absorbed by the intestinal enterocytes and passed into the bloodstream. But, prior to this, the lactose molecule is hydrolysed with the help of lactase enzyme. This enzyme exists in the vicinity of the brush border of the intestinal lumen.
However, if an individual has hypolactasia or alactasia, then the lactose passes through the small intestine undigested and unperturbed.
This is due to the fact that there is no lactase to digest the lactose ingested.
Furthermore, the lactase levels in an infant gradually decrease after weaning( shift of diet from milk). So, adults usually do not have sufficient lactase in their systems.
Symptoms:
The most salient symptoms of this disorder are bloating, flatulence, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain etc.
After the lactose passes through the small intestine in an undigested state, it reaches the large intestine. The colon is home to hundreds of thousands of bacteria. These bacterial cells then ferment the lactose. The by-products of this fermentation include hydrogen, methane, carbon dioxide gases, lactic acid and other such compounds.
The H2, CH4 & CO2 gases build up in the colon and cause bloating which is the swelling up of the large intestine. This also causes flatulence as the gases are passed out of the body.
The undigested lactose and the by-products after bacterial fermentation altogether increase the osmotic load of the colon. Thus, water passes into the cavity through resulting in diarrhoea shown by watery
stool.
Affected population:
In most cases, all human babies have substantial levels of lactase available at their disposal. But after growth and aging, the diet is changed from milk, a lactose-rich food, to other sources. This is called weaning.
In adulthood, most cultures around the world take to other foods. Interestingly enough, 95% of the white Caucasian population of Northern Europe and its progeny is lactase persistent. Even after early childhood, the people of that race have built up lactase in their bodies due to the continued diet on milk-based food. So, they do not usually exhibit lactose intolerance.
Other racial groups like Africans, Asians, Native Americans etc. are generally deprived of any dairy diet in adulthood. So, they are more likely to be lactose intolerant.
Diagnosis:
In order to find out whether an individual is lactose intolerant, there are a number of different examinations carried out. But most significant of them are the Hydrogen Breath Test, Blood Glucose Test and Stool Acidity Test. They are-
Hydrogen Breath test:
If there is lactose intolerance then lactose will be decomposed bacterially in the colonic environment. Thus, H2 gas is produced. Therefore, it can be detected experimentally.
A primary reading of a patient’s breath is taken. This is the baseline which is taken as a reference point. Next, the patient consumes 25 grams of lactose. Every 15-20 minutes thereafter, subsequent breath tests are conducted. This breath collection resumes for about 3-5 hours more.
If the amount of H2 in the patient’s breath is >20 ppm above the baseline, then it may be concluded that the patient possesses lactose intolerance.
Blood Glucose Test:
Lactose is simplified into glucose and galactose. The glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream which can be calculated using this glucose blood test. If, however, there is a fall in blood glucose levels, it is evident that lactose in the gut has not been disintegrated.
The patient is ingests about 0.75-1.50 gm of lactose per kg of body weight. If blood glucose level falls below 25 mg/100 ml of blood, then it is conclusive evidence of lactose intolerance.
Stool Acidity Test:
This test is designed for detection in babies and young children as other methods might be deemed dangerous and impractical for them.
Here, the patient takes a tiny amount of lactose per os. If the lactose is not digested in the small intestine, then colonic bacteria ferment the content and form lactic acid as a product. The patient’s faeces are tested for an increase in lactic acid. If an appreciable amount is detected, the verdict is lactose intolerance.
Treatment:
Since, there is no clear-cut medicinal treatment, the disorder is managed by following a disciplined dietary regimen.
Lactose-rich foods like milk and derived dairy foodstuffs are avoided Foods hidden with lactose such as processed cereals, custard, milk chocolate, margarine etc. are also overlooked Substitutes for milk are preferred. These might be soy milk, coconut milk, peanut milk and so forth Food labels are carefully perused for signs of lactose Pre-digested food with lactase enzyme like yoghurt or powdered milk is consumed Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are taken as their absence cause osteoporosis and rickets