Lactase deficiency in children and adults: symptoms, treatment, diet, prevention

When the term “lactase deficiency” is used, most of us understands that we are talking about some kind of concept related to the “milk” theme. But what is lactase and how it differs from lactose - most likely, not everyone knows.

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In order to immediately understand the names, we note that lactose is called milk sugar, and lactase is the enzyme with which this very lactose is split. And you will learn the answers to questions related to the problem of lactase deficiency from our article.

What is and why lactase deficiency occurs?

As already mentioned, lactase is associated with the process of splitting lactose. If its quantity is not enough, then this process is disturbed, and splitting becomes partial. Of course, incomplete breakdown of lactose on the mucous membrane of the small intestine leads to clinical symptoms, which indicate that lactase deficiency develops in the body.
Lack of lactase It leads to the fact that carbohydrates, which were never split, still fall into the colon, where, interacting with the intestinal microflora, lead to excess gas formation. This process is accompanied by stretching the intestinal walls and increasing its peristalsis, which leads to the characteristic symptoms of lactase deficiency.

How does lactase deficiency manifest?

Unfortunately, some people are well familiar with such manifestations as brown of the abdomen and rumbling sounds In it, sometimes lactose intolerance can manifest with diarrhea or nausea, sometimes turning into vomiting.
Possible pain - Not only in the abdomen, but also headaches. These are the most frequent manifestations of lactase deficiency, manifested quite quickly after a person drank a glass of milk or ate the product in which it includes. In addition, it can manifest itself general weakness and high degree of fatigue.
And the higher the degree of lactase insufficiency is, the more intense the symptoms described will be.

How to understand that the child has lactase deficiency?

Most often, lactase failure in infants is diagnosed. And to know about the signs that signal this problem is very important for parents, because it is in the first days of life that the foundation of a healthy and strong organism is laid.

So, in order to understand that the child has lactase deficiency, you should pay attention to the following points:

Appearance sour smell and water spot In the process of emptying the intestine, and the chair itself becomes more frequent and liquid than usual.
Possibly manifestation of lactase deficiency weak weight gain, and sometimes growth, which is due to the lack of carbohydrates in the body.
Availability colic, swelling of the abdomen and crying After the baby ate.

But spraying should not be taken as a symptom of lactase deficiency - this is due to processes in the stomach, and not in the intestines.

Diagnosis of lactase deficiency

As a rule, the diagnosis of this disease begins with organoleptic feces.

If feces of a watery consistency, yellow or greenish, are not decorated, and also has a sour smell, then this is evidence of the presence of lactase failure in the body. In this case, a chemical study shows an acidic reaction.

The next indicator is determined the number of carbohydrates in feces. If a quarter value exceeds the norm, then this can also indicate the presence of a disease. If the case is difficult, then a test is carried out in which the amount of hydrogen is determined when exhaling. Lactate deficiency is determined by the amount of glucose, building a curve, demonstrating its level before the adoption of lactose and after.
Slight increase (up to 20%) Also indicates a possible lack of enzyme.
In addition, it is possible to conduct intestinal biopsy and genetic studies.

Is there lactase deficiency in adults?

An adult type of lactase failure can develop after the stage of breastfeeding is completed.
This phenomenon is due to the fact that the activity of lactase decreases over time and milk intake can result in flatulence or diarrhea. This type is most often determined by genetic prerequisites that consist of hereditary inability to assimilate lactose.

It is also possible to stop the production of lactase due to the disease, changes in the intestinal microflora, or due to a decrease in the amount of production of the enzyme with age.

What is secondary lactase deficiency?

Secondary lactase failure They also call it acquired. It occurs due to a decrease in the production of some enzymes, including lactase during the period atrophic changes, which begin in the mucous membranes.
May also occur as a result of infectious diseases associated with the intestines, candidiasis, tuberculosis, celiac disease and others. An intensive intake of antibacterial drugs, mineral or vitamin complexes can also lead to this.
Depending on how pronounced lactase deficiency is, it is divided into partial or complete.
Signs of secondary lactase deficiency are similar to those that are also characteristic of the primary.

Why is lactose intolerance dangerous?

In general, lactose deficiency is not a life -threatening disease, but can provoke problems. If a newborn suffers from alactasia, then it may occur rejection of breast milk, Which is undesirable, and can turn into a weakened immunity in the future.
If you do not take measures, then it can be the intestinal mucosa is damaged, and this, in turn, will worsen the course of the processes of assimilation of substances necessary for the body, vitamins.
Completely excluding milk and dairy products from their diet, so as not to experience unpleasant sensations after taking them, a person may feel lack of calciumthat is detrimental to the state bones, teeth, hair, It can provoke diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system.

When will lactase deficiency pass?

If a primary lactose deficiency It was found in a baby, with a still not yet formed gastrointestinal tract, then most often the problem is solved in itself over the first year of the baby’s life. A later end period is possible - to adolescence.
At secondary lactase insufficiency, The infectious disease that has occurred after an infectious disease, the disease can pass quite quickly - within a few weeks, especially at a young and young age.

Treatment of lactase insufficiency

Most often, lactose intolerance is treated using special dietscompiled by the attending physician. But at the same time, the doctor may well prescribe drugs based on enzymeswhich break down lactose.
Depending on the indications, drugs fighting diarrhea are also prescribed, vitamin agents are often prescribed vitamin D.. In addition, medicines are prescribed, restoring intestinal microflora.

What can not be with lactase failure?

To limit the amount of lactose entering the body, you should pay attention to the composition of the products that you are going to buy. Caution should be treated with milk and dairy products, since all of them, including milk powder and dairy products, contain lactose in one or another amount.

Lactose can also be in baking, cookies and cakes, milk chocolate, custard, cheese sauces, omelettes and pancakes, soups, hotel types of mashed potatoes.
The most dangerous products with “hidden” lactose, the content of which the manufacturer does not inform the buyer. Lactose, for example, contains in grain breakfasts and sweets, mayonnaise and sausages, Margarine and bread ...
Be sure to warn the doctor prescribing the drug for you to treat if you suffer from lactase failure. The fact is that lactose may be contained in drugs, including contraceptives or heartburn products.

Lactase deficiency: diet

To receive beneficial substances contained in milk, it is often recommended to replace it yogurtscontaining living cultures, or cheeses, during the production of which lactose was originally fermented by bacteria. Special dairy products with a low lactose content are also recommended.
Exists and blackmarkets (here it also has already passed the splitting process), plant -based milk: from flax, nut, some cereals, soy or coconut. You can also replace milk as a source of calcium sesame seeds, legumes, greens, eggs, fatty varieties of fish.
Milk contains vitamins, therefore, in particular, a replacement for vitamin A can be obtained from the same eggs or liver, mango, melon, apricots, pumpkin, broccoli and, of course, carrots.
Lack of vitamin D will be filled eggs, fish oil and oily fish. Also, for this, you need to be more in the fresh air under natural sunlight.

A diet with lactase deficiency is selected by the attending physician, taking into account how pronounced the symptoms are.

Power of the child with lactase deficiency

The child’s diet is compiled taking into account the maximum decrease in lactos -containing products. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe latazar, bioactive additives, It contains lactase. Such a diet is signed for each meal, taking into account how much milk should be sunk, and at what dose is the enzyme.

General principle: the more carbohydrates the body is not able to learn, the more breast milk the pre -treatment of the enzyme should undergo.

It is not recommended to completely deprive the baby of lactose, since there will be a decrease in acidity in the intestine, which will be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the children's diet is not aimed at the exclusion of lactose, but at a decrease in its number.
If the child is on artificial feeding or gets complementary foods, Llactic mixtures or low lactose are prescribed.
And if the cause of lactase insufficiency has become allergy to proteinThe milk contained in cow's milk, the doctor prescribes mixtures with the content of soy protein or cow -coated with enzymes.

After a year, children are already selected a diet that includes fermented milk products.

In what milk is not lactose?

Any milk that has an animal, not only cow, but also sheep with goat, Contains lactose. Moreover, its content does not depend on what kind of fat content this milk is.
No lactose in milk is contained, which has plant origin and received from oats, coconut, soy, almonds, etc. Therefore, it can become a substitute for natural milk in case of lactase failure.
If for some reason you do not want to replace milk with vegetable, then you can dwell on the varieties from which the lactose is removed during production by splitting lactose and adding lactase.

Is it possible to cream with lactose intolerance?

The content of lactose in the cream is comparable to its content in milk. But since we do not consume cream in the same amount as milk, adding a teaspoon in coffee is quite acceptable.
Those who are used to enjoy the cream, eating their spoon behind the spoon, in the case of lactase deficiency, it is worth refraining from such volumes.

Goat milk with lactase deficiency

Lactose is part of goat milk, like any other milk of animal origin. But compared with the cow, its content is lower.

For example: cow's milk contains about 5% lactose, and in goat - 4.2%. That is why, with a slightly pronounced degree of lactase failure, people can use goat milk instead of cow, better absorbing it.

The lighter digestion is due to the smaller size of fat molecules in the composition of goat milk. In addition, if you consume a little goat milk in combination with products that do not contain lactose, then the symptoms of lactase failure can become less pronounced.
With a severe degree of intolerance from goat milk, it is also better to refrain.

Prevention of lactase deficiency

The main method of prevention is the use of products that do not contain lactose at all or have it in their composition in low quantities.

If you notice the appearance of symptoms characteristic of lactase insufficiency, then for complete confidence in the presence or absence of this disease it is better to pass a genetic test that determines the degree of lactase activity.
In addition, such a test is useful to predict the possibility of lactase deficiency in your children, and then you can warn in advance the possibility of unexpectedly characteristic symptoms.

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