Title: Problems Digesting Dairy Products? | FDA
Headings: Problems Digesting Dairy Products?
Problems Digesting Dairy Products?
Intolerance is Not Allergy
Symptoms
Who Becomes Lactose Intolerant?
Managing Lactose Intolerance
Look at Labels
Testing for Lactose Intolerance
Tips for Consumers
Raw Milk and Lactose Intolerance

Content: People with food intolerances can often eat small amounts of the offending foods without having symptoms. Symptoms
When there is not enough lactase to digest the lactose in the foods a person eats or drinks, the person may have
gas
stomach cramps
bloating
nausea
diarrhea
These symptoms typically occur within 30 minutes to two hours after consuming food containing lactose. Some illnesses can cause these same problems, but a health care professional can do tests to see if the problems are caused by lactose intolerance or by another condition. Who Becomes Lactose Intolerant? Lactose intolerance is more common in some ethnic groups than others. NIDDK estimates that up to 75% of all adult African Americans and Native Americans and 90% of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant. As people age, their bodies produce fewer lactase enzymes, so most people don't have symptoms until they are adults. Most people inherit the condition from their parents. Lactose intolerance is not very common in children under two years of age, unless the child has a lactase deficiency because of an injury to the small intestine. If you think your infant or child may be lactose intolerant, talk to your child's pediatrician.