From: http://tinyurl.com/ykh3sf4

What is a ‘lac-tard’ you ask?

Well it’s a name my friends and I have adopted to describe our relationship with dairy and other lactose products. A said ‘lac-tard’ is someone who is lactose intolerant. This means that they have an inability or insufficient ability to digest lactose. 

What is lactose?
Simply put, lactose is a sugar found in milk and in milk products (cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc.).

What happens? (This is going to get technical so bear with me…)

Lactose intolerance is caused by having a deficiency of a certain enzyme – lactase. Lactase is produced by the cells that line the small intestine. (So as a quick refresher, lactase is an enzyme whereas lactose is the sugar found in milk products). Lactase then breaks down lactose into 2 simple forms of sugar: glucose and galactose. These two simple sugar forms are then absorbed into the bloodstream.

What causes lactose intolerance?

There are believed to be 2 major reasons why people have a lactose intolerance. The first, primary lactose deficiency, develops over time. It can start to develop in children as early as age 2. This is when the body naturally begins to produce less lactase. Yet even if it starts to develop at this early of an age most children won’t experience symptoms of lactose intolerance until they hit adolescence or adulthood.
***There has been research done on possible genetic links to having primary lactase deficiency. There is a gene that some people inherit from their parents that makes it likely that they will develop a lactase deficiency.

Secondary lactase deficiency occurs when the small intestine has been injured. This can happen from severe diarrheal illness, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or chemotherapy treatments. Secondary lactase deficiency can happen at any age, but occurs most often at infancy.

What are the symptoms?

After consuming milk products, a ‘lac-tard’ might feel uncomfortable for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Symptoms can be mild or severe…it will depend on how much was consumed and the tolerance of that individual.

The most common symptoms include:

• Pain in the abdominal region
• Bloating in the abdominal region
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

How can I mange my lactose intolerance?

• Diet. You cannot change your body’s ability to produce lactase, but you can change your diet. Most ‘lac-tards’ can tolerate a certain amount of lactose in their diet (this is different for every person, so sadly there is no magic number or amount that works for everybody). If a slow progression is started of introducing milk and/or milk products into one’s diet fewer symptoms may occur over time as the body adapts. Consuming these things at meals can usually help prevent the amount of symptoms that occur.
• Lactose-free and lactose-reduced. Both of these types of products can be found in grocery stores nationwide. They have lactose-free/reduced milk that is identical to regular milk except that the lactase enzyme (remember him from before?) has been added in. The taste may be a little different, but that is really the only major change. Soy products are always a smart alternative as well.

Where else is lactose found?

Often milk and milk products are added to other foods. Don’t be surprised if you show symptoms after eating any of the following:

• Bread and other baked goods
• Waffles, pancakes, biscuits, cookies, and mixes to make them
• Processed breakfast foods such as doughnuts, frozen waffles and pancakes, toaster pastries, and sweet rolls
• Processed breakfast cereals
• Instant potatoes, soups, and breakfast drinks
• Potato chips, corn chips, and other processed snacks
• Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and lunch meats
• Margarine
• Salad dressings
• Liquid and powdered milk-based meal replacements
• Protein powders and bars
• Candies
• Non-dairy liquid and powdered coffee creamers
• Non-dairy whipped toppings

All technical information was paraphrased from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/.

Jordan Allen
American University