Title: Mayo Clinic Q and A: Lactose Intolerance Can Develop at Any Age – Mayo Clinic News Network
Headings: Mayo Clinic Q and A: Lactose Intolerance Can Develop at Any Age
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Lactose Intolerance Can Develop at Any Age
New SW Region VP for Mayo Clinic Health System
In the Loop: Tips for Things Children Swallow

Content: It would be a good idea to have your condition evaluated by your doctor to confirm that what you’re dealing with truly is lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance results from a problem with the carbohydrate lactose, a type of sugar found in dairy products. When you eat or drink dairy products, enzymes in your small intestine digest lactose, so the body can make energy. In people with lactose intolerance, a certain enzyme, called lactase, is missing from the body. When those people eat dairy products, the body has no way to break down the lactose. This leads to fermentation of the sugar in the intestines and triggers symptoms, such as diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating and gas. Sometimes, lactose intolerance develops when the small intestine’s production of lactase decreases after an illness, injury or surgery involving the small intestine. This is called secondary lactose intolerance. Among the diseases associated with this kind of lactose intolerance are celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth and Crohn’s disease. Treatment of the underlying disorder may restore lactase levels and improve symptoms.