Lactose is a milk sugar which is important because it contains two sugars. One of the sugars is galactose and is considered the brain sugar which has proved important in brain development of babies. Galactose has also been shown to prevent tumor growth.

Treatment for lactose intolerance

Treatment mainly consists of a diet modification significantly reducing the intake of lactose or completely avoiding dairy foods. There are also tablets and drops that have lactase which is the enzyme responsible for breaking down milk sugar. You can take lactase tablets before eating or drinking dairy foods. You can also add lactase drops to milk before you drink it. Though there is no one cure for lactose intolerance, the tablets or drops may help you to safely consume dairy products.

Specialists who deal with lactose intolerance

If by any chance you frequently feel nauseous, diarrhea, belching, bloating, indigestion or stomach cramps a few minutes or hours after taking dairy products you should consider visiting a specialist. There are people who have specialized in different areas that can help you deal with lactose intolerance.

A pediatrician provides medical care and assistance for infants, minors, and teenagers if your child is lactose intolerant you should make arrangements and visit one. There is also a primary care provider who prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases and can assist lactose intolerant people. A gastroenterologist focuses on the digestive system and its disorders. Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder and a gastroenterologist can help handle lactose intolerance.

Lastly, there is a nutritionist who specializes in food and diet. A nutritionist can administer lactase tablets or drops and also advice on the appropriate meals for lactose intolerant people.

Lactose intolerance diagnosis

A doctor suspects lactose intolerance depending on one’s symptoms and response in reducing the number of dairy foods in your diet. Your doctor can prove the diagnosis by administering one of the following tests: the lactose tolerance test which gauges the body’s response to a liquid that contains high levels of lactose.

The hydrogen breath test also requires you to take a liquid that contains high levels of lactose then the doctor measures the amount of hydrogen in the breath at different intervals, normally there is less hydrogen in people who are not lactose intolerant. The last one is a stool acidity test which is administered to infants and children who can not undergo other tests.

If you would like to know more about lactose intolerance then please check out our blog section. Also, we offer some great food sensitivity and food intolerance tests which you can find below.