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Article: LACTOSE INTOLERANCE -- A GUT REACTION
- Article from:
- Sun Publications (IL)
- Article date:
- June 11, 1997
CopyrightAll content copyright (c) 1997 Sun Publications and may not be republished without permission. (Hide copyright information)
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What could be more pleasant on a warm summer day than to enjoy a cool, refreshing ice cream cone? It's delightful for most of us.
But what if ice cream or other dairy products produce uncomfortable gas or bloating? You may have lactose intolerance.
WHAT IS LACTOSE INTOLERANCE? When we are born, we produce an enzyme called lactase that allows lactose to be digested in the small intestine.
As we leave childhood, however, many of us begin to stop producing lactase.
That means rather than breaking down, lactose can end up lingering in the intestinal tract, drawing in water and serving as food for gas-producing bacteria that "hang-out" there.
Typical symptoms include bloating, gas, ...