Title: Can You Become Lactose Intolerant Overnight?
Headings: Can You Become Lactose Intolerant Overnight?
Can You Become Lactose Intolerant Overnight?
What is lactose?
What do we mean by lactose intolerance?
What are the symptoms?
Is it possible to become lactose intolerance suddenly?
What are the treatments for lactose intolerance?

Content: What is lactose? Lactose is a natural form of sugar that exists in dairy products such as milk. It is present in lower levels in products such as cheese and yogurt, as processing generally removes some of the lactose. What do we mean by lactose intolerance? Lactose intolerance is caused when the body stops making an enzyme ‘lactase’, or makes this enzyme in smaller amounts. Lactase is responsible for breaking down lactose in the small bowel, so that the smaller sugar molecules can be absorbed by the body. If we do not make enough lactase enzymes, lactose sugar stays in the gut and is fermented by bacteria causing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms. The lactase enzyme is produced in the largest quantities at birth, allowing babies to digest breast milk successfully. As we age, we generally produce less of the enzyme, as our diet becomes more varied and less reliant on milk products. This means that by the time we reach adulthood, even if we have been drinking milk all our lives, we may develop symptoms of lactose intolerance.