Suffering from lactose intolerance

Between 15 and 25 percent of northern Europeans suffer from lactose intolerance syptoms.

"The diagnosis arouses fear in many people, but it's something you can live with fairly easily," notes Anja Baustian from the Aachen-based Society for Nutritional Therapy and Prevention.

Lactose intolerance is caused by a deficiency of the lactase enzyme in the lining of the small intestine, which breaks down lactose.


It usually appears later, often after puberty. Declining lactase production with age is normal in healthy people too, so lactose intolerance so the discomfort associated with it occur gradually.

Some patients who have trouble digesting lactose aren't aware of it, and avoid dairy products intuitively.

Lactose intolerance is nearly universal in parts of Africa and in China. The condition is irreversible.


The consultation should determine how much lactose, and which foods, you can tolerate. Whether you tend to eat more carbohydrates or more protein makes a difference.

Fresh milk has a lot of lactose, yoghurt less, cheese even less, and butter hardly any at all, that is why hard cheese and butter are better tolerated.

If you avoid dairy products, make sure to get sufficient calcium from other sources.

Some vegetables provide calcium. There's also mineral water that contains calcium. Calcium tablets are alo option.


You can get lactase enzymes in dietary supplements if you dont want to avoid dairy product.