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Lactose Intolerance And Its Effects On The Body

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Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is unable to properly digest foods which contain lactose. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and foods made with milk. Lactase is the enzyme which is produced in the small intestine, and people with lactose intolerance tend to have a deficiency in lactase. Since lactase is produced in the small intestine, lactose intolerance affects the digestive system and leaves people with symptoms which to their digestive tract. Lactose intolerance can also be known as lactose malabsorption since the body does not properly digest lactose. Lactose intolerance is normally harmless; however, the symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable to most people. The signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance usually begin …show more content…

However, it stays high enough to still digest the amount of dairy which is found in an adult diet. When someone has primary lactose intolerance, the production of lactase falls off quickly and makes it difficult to digest milk products by adulthood. Genetics determines if someone has primary lactose intolerance. Primary lactose intolerance occurs in a copious amount of people with an African, Asian, or Hispanic background. This disease is also very common in people who are of Mediterranean or Southern European descent. The second type of lactose intolerance is called secondary lactose intolerance. This type of lactose intolerance occurs when an illness, surgery or surgery involving the small intestine causes the small intestine to decrease in lactase production. There are multiple different diseases associated with secondary lactose intolerance including celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth, and Crohn’s disease. There’s a possibility of restoring lactase levels and improving the symptoms or signs by treating the underlying disorder; however, it could take some time after treating the disease for lactase levels to increase. The last type of lactose intolerance is called congenital or developmental lactose intolerance. Rarely, babies can be born with lactose intolerance which is caused when lactase activity is completely absent. This disorder of being born lactose intolerant is passed from generation to generation meaning is it also determined by genetics. The pattern

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