Lactose intolerance, also known as lactose malabsorption and lactose indigestion, is due to the inability of the intestine to secrete lactolytic enzymes. Without this enzyme, lactose cannot be digested and absorbed by human body. After lactose enters the body, it will be decomposed into lactic acid in the intestine by bacteria → destroying the alkaline environment in the intestine, because a large amount of alkaline digestive juice needs to be secreted in the intestine to neutralize lactic acid, so diarrhea will occur.

Inevitable lactose

Lactose is a unique carbohydrate in the milk of other mammals such as humans, and it is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose. The content of lactose in milk is generally 4%~5%, and lactose in human milk accounts for about 7%. In the process of baby's growth and development, it can provide the baby with daily energy, enhance the baby's absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc, and also participate in their brain development process.

Secondly, lactose will produce glucose after digestion, which can participate in the nerve and muscle composition of human body;

Thirdly, lactose and its metabolite lactic acid can reduce the PH value in the intestine, form an acidic environment in the intestine, inhibit the decomposition of protein, inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria and promote the peristalsis of the stomach.

Causes of lactose intolerance

First of all, some babies are born without lactase because of chromosome inheritance and other reasons, and cannot digest lactose by their own functions; Secondly, some premature babies can't digest lactose smoothly because of intestinal mucosal dysplasia and low lactase activity, but this situation will make many children still lack lactase in adulthood.

Thirdly, due to acquired environmental factors, such as rotavirus and other diseases, intestinal villus epithelial cells will be damaged, resulting in the decline of lactase activity; At the same time, malnutrition, gastrointestinal surgery and other operations will also cause the lack of lactase.

Main symptoms of lactose intolerance

After the baby ingests lactose, it needs its own lactase to break it down into monosaccharides before it can be digested and absorbed. If lactose cannot be completely decomposed for various reasons, a series of digestive tract symptoms will appear, the most critical of which is the lack of lactase. In China, the incidence rate of infants and young children is extremely high, about 47%~70%, and diarrhea is the most common. In the long run, it is likely to lead to chronic diarrhea, malnutrition and anemia.

How to solve lactose intolerance

In the face of baby lactose intolerance, what can be solved?

0 1 Drink a small amount of milk many times.

Lactose intolerance is often caused by excessive lactose intake at one time and lack of lactase in the body for digestion and absorption. Therefore, when drinking milk, you need to drink a small amount for many times, and then gradually increase it to help the intestines gradually adapt to absorption.

For example, it is best not to eat more than 250ml at a time. Every time you drink milk, you should master the interval to gradually relieve their lactose intolerance.

Drink goat's milk

Breast milk and milk are rich in lactose, so in the face of baby's lactose intolerance, goat milk can be used instead.

Goat milk is known as the gospel of lactose intolerance. Among them, oligosaccharides in goat milk powder replaced part of goat milk lactose, which is more suitable for baby's intestinal function and strengthens digestion and absorption.

Avoid drinking milk on an empty stomach.

If the baby drinks milk on an empty stomach, the milk will pass through the gastrointestinal tract for a short time, and the lactose in it will be absorbed by the small intestine after entering the large intestine, which will aggravate the baby's lactose intolerance symptoms.

Tips:

It is recommended to drink milk after meals or 2 hours after meals;

When drinking milk, it can be eaten together with other foods, such as meat or fatty foods, and with biscuits, bread, steamed bread and other staple foods, which can dilute the lactose concentration in milk and relieve the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

04 low lactose milk

Low lactose milk refers to milk with lower lactose content than normal milk. Usually, lactose hydrolyzed milk with hydrolysis degree of 70%~90% not only has the special flavor of milk, but also can avoid lactose intolerance.

05 Other dairy products

Generally speaking, every 100g of milk contains about 4.5g of lactose, and 20%~30% of lactose in yogurt will be degraded, which is beneficial to digestion and absorption and can improve the symptoms of lactose indigestion and lactose intolerance.