Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a hereditary metabolic pathology characterized by a decrease in the activity or level of lactose enzymes, which does not allow the body to fully absorb lactose from milk and dairy products.

People with low levels of lactase, which breaks down glucose and lactose, suffer from fermentation processes that occur in the lower parts of the intestine, due to non-decomposed lactose.

Causes of lactose intolerance

Primary and congenital lactase deficiency is caused by a change in the tolerance of the gene to lactose, and can be transmitted from both parents. It is connected primarily with the ethnic and geographical features of human habitation.

Secondary lactase deficiency in children can be provoked by taking hormones and antibiotics, acute intestinal infections and other diseases that provoke atrophy of villi in the small intestine.

Secondary lactase deficiency in adults is provoked by atrophy of villi in the small intestine, against the background of allergic, autoimmune, infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Types of lactose intolerance

Congenital lactase deficiency is a genetically determined lactase intolerance. This is a serious threat to the life of a child, since the main nutrition of newborns is milk.

Primary lactase deficiency manifests itself in adult children over 4 years of age, occurs against the background of impaired digestive function, when taking milk.

Secondary lactase deficiency develops against the background of atrophic processes, on the mucous membrane of the small intestine.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance:

the presence of asthenic syndrome (sleep disturbance, irritability, fatigue);
nausea after eating;
liquid stools that have a sour smell;
rumbling and bloating in the stomach.
In newborns:

bloating;
frequent regurgitation;
frequent stools or constipation;
atopic dermatitis;
lag in physical development;
muscle hypotension;
convulsions.
Diagnosis of lactose intolerance

Mandatory consultation of a gastroenterologist, a pediatric neurologist, an allergist and a number of studies:

laboratory tests (determination of starch lactic acid in feces, pH and fiber levels, lactose tolerance test, lactase genotyping, determination of lactase activity in biopsies);
instrumental (EGDS for the purpose of examining the upper gastrointestinal tract);
biopsy sampling of small intestine tissues for further histological studies.
Treatment of lactose intolerance

Treatment includes several main directions:

medical treatment;
normalization of intestinal microflora;
diet therapy (exclusion of milk and other products with a large amount of lactose from the diet);
selection of an individually permissible dose of lactose for each patient.
With a significant decrease in the activity of enzymes or their complete absence, it is necessary to exclude all dairy products from the human diet.

It is necessary to prevent possible complications in time, which are associated with a lack of some vitamins and calcium contained in milk. For this, vitamin therapy and calcium intake are prescribed.

Patients are prescribed lactase preparations and preparations containing dietary fiber, which increase the activity of lactase.

In order to normalize the intestinal microflora, therapy is carried out to suppress conditionally pathogenic microflora, in parallel with taking symbiotics.

For children, diet therapy is prescribed taking into account the general condition and age of the child. Newborns are prescribed special low-lactose mixtures. Children from the second month are prescribed mixtures based on soy protein isolate

Post Views: 526

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance

Scientists have discovered a mechanism that slows down aging

Hysterical neurosis

Vibration sickness

Most Popular

WHO: 1 billion people in the world are served by medical institutions without reliable power supply

Gastritis symptoms and what is it

Diarrhea

Rectal prolapse

Recent Comments