Ways to Diagnose Lactose Intolerance
Defining Lactose intolerance
It is a condition where your body cannot digest lactose, and this is due to the shortage of lactase which is an enzyme produced by the small intestine that is necessary to digest lactose. Lactose is a component of sugar found in milk and many other dairy products.
People Affected by Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is a condition that develops over a certain period when your body produces less lactase.
A study shows that around 36% of Americans and 68% of the entire population face lactose intolerance. It is also proven that it affects people of specific ethnicities, including Latin Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, East Europeans, and people from the middle east as opposed to others.
Lactose Intolerance Tests
Physicians tend to take different tests to determine a patient’s presence of lactose intolerance. These tests are also done to determine the amount of lactase produced and to catch the cause of lactose intolerance.
Types of Lactose Intolerance Tests
- Hydrogen breath test
You might be asked to avoid eating a night before taking this test; you’ll be asked to blow up in a bag through which they will measure the amount of hydrogen present in your present. After which, your physician will provide you with a lactose solution to drink, and then doctors will test your breath after every fifteen minutes to see if the hydrogen level in your breath is affected or not.
If a large amount of hydrogen is detected in your breath, you will most likely be lactose intolerant.
- The Lactose Intolerance test
Here, you’d be given a lactose solution to drink, after which your physician will take a blood sample from you. The lab will test your blood to analyze the amount of blood sugar it has. If you’re lactose intolerant, your blood sugar levels will rise slowly or not at all.
- The milk tolerance test
In this test, you’ll be given a glass of milk ranging around 500ml, after which your physician will test your blood sugar levels, and if these levels don’t rise, it’s likely, you’re lactose intolerant.
- Small Bowel Biopsy
The small bowel biopsy is a rare lactose intolerance test to verify lactose intolerance in your body. This test is done to see if lactose intolerance or other conditions like a coeliac disease where your immune system attacks your tissues after you eat gluten.
How to contain Lactose Intolerance?
You can start by changing the form of milk you take. Since regular cow milk has adequate levels of Lactose, you might fall sick. So, Instead, shift to almond milk, soya milk, or coconut milk. Try taking smaller portions of dairy foods or take milk with other foods that might help with tolerance.
Conclusion
Your physicians know better how to diagnose your lactose intolerance levels; once verified, take proper measures to get yourself treated. Of course, you can always start by taking smaller meals involving dairy. Start by analyzing the level of lactose you can tolerate and have controlled foods accordingly.