Milk is very present in our daily diet, but today there are more people who feel discomfort after drinking it. According to the latest study by Kantar Worldpanel, 48% of women and 50% of men between the ages of 18 and 45 in Peru suffer from lactose intolerance, which can occur in two levels: mild or severe

At the doctor’s office, the main questions of patients are: why do I have this problem? and how can I treat it and avoid discomfort? The first step to attack the disease is to be informed and know that this pathology is caused by the low amount of lactase – an enzyme responsible for digesting milk sugar – in our body

In case of mild or temporary intolerance (such as that produced by parasites like the Giardia lamblia), it is possible to start a reintroduction of dairy products in small quantities combined with the use of lactose-free probiotics. In these cases, it is advisable to consume the probiotic Bacillus clausii, as it helps to recover intestinal stability

In case of severe intolerance, the reintroduction of dairy products will not work and it will be necessary to start a dairy-free diet. Given this situation, the consumption of Bacillus clausii is also a good option because it will help to pH regeneration of patients and, in addition, to colonize the intestinal tract and produce positive changes in the microbiota. But, it is also important to keep in mind that the total absence of milk can cause some deficiencies since your body will not receive its nutrients (proteins, vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin D and calcium). Therefore, other foods to compensate this deficiency should be incorporated into your diet

The consumption of probiotics is not exactly a treatment against lactose intolerance, but a way to improve in lactose-intolerant patients the consequences from a long period of exposure to dairy products

Dr. Hector Velarde
Gastroenterologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma