Drink Milk When You're Lactose Intolerant? What The Research Says

By Author: Sandy Malek
Total Articles: 9
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It may be logical to assume that if you are lactose intolerant you should avoid dairy products. Lactose, the main sugar in milk and dairy products, can cause digestive discomfort in people who lack the enzyme needed to process lactose. If drinking a glass of milk or eating a slice of cheese pizza brings on symptoms of lactose intolerance, including gas pains, bloating, abdominal cramping and diarrhea, you should give them up, right? Not necessarily.

According to a panel of experts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference on Lactose Intolerance:

Eliminating nutrient-rich dairy foods may not be necessary in order to manage the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Giving up milk and foods containing dairy (lactose) could have a negative effect on diet and health.

Dairy packs a powerful nutritional punch: calcium, vitamin D, protein, potassium and other nutrients that are important for bone health. Those who are lactose intolerant have lactose-free dietary options for obtaining these nutrients, however, it is difficult to meet the need for calcium, vitamin D and other ...
... bone-building nutrients without drinking milk or eating dairy.

Dr. Robert P. Heaney, a researcher at Creighton University presented findings to the panel studying lactose intolerance on the health outcomes of dairy exclusion diets. He is quoted as saying:

"With modern diets, eliminating dairy from the diet - for any reason whatsoever - will result in poor nutrition with long-term consequences for health."

Research shows that even people with lactose intolerance might be able to ingest small amounts of milk, yogurt, and hard cheeses without significant symptoms of lactose intolerance. The experts from the NIH study on lactose intolerance also concluded that there is a need for "evidence-based dietary approaches with and without dairy foods" to make sure lactose-intolerant individuals consume enough calcium and other nutrients, without digestive discomfort.

There is one approach that has demonstrated success by reintroducing dairy products into the diets of those who are lactose intolerant. This approach was researched and tested for over 12 years by leading lactose intolerance experts. More information about this program that allows lactose intolerant individuals to once again consume dairy products without enduring the digestive discomfort characterized by gas, bloating, cramping and diarrhea is available at lactagen.com.

In addition to studying the health outcomes of dairy exclusion diets, the experts from the NIH Consensus Development Conference on Lactose Intolerance posed the following questions for research:

What is the prevalence of lactose intolerance, and how does this prevalence differ by race, ethnicity, and age?
What amount of daily lactose intake is tolerable in subjects with diagnosed lactose intolerance?
What strategies are effective in managing individuals with diagnosed lactose intolerance?
What are the future research needs for understanding and managing lactose intolerance?

If you are interested in learning more about the latest research into managing lactose intolerance and how lactose intolerant individuals can include dairy in their diets, you can review the statement from the NIH study on lactose intolerance, and read testimonials about the Lactagen program online.

The author specializes in the topic of lactose intolerance, and has found helpful information using online communities.