From sudden bloating to abdominal cramps, the reactions that come with lactose intolerance can range from uncomfortable to painful. However, there are some strategies that can help prevent the effects and alleviate the symptoms.
Read more:Lactic Acid & Lactose Intolerance
Cause of Lactose Issues
Lactose is a type of natural carbohydrate found indairy products, and most people have a specific enzyme, called lactase, that is used to digest the lactose properly, according to the克利夫兰诊所。但如果你的身体具有低乳糖酶水平，结果可以是未消化的乳糖，使其途径通过您的小肠，这可能导致不舒服的反应。
"This will cause extra gas to form, resulting in pressure," saysColleen Christensen, RDN, a registered dietitian/nutritionist in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Often, that can be painful and include abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, gas and sometimes diarrhea."
乳糖不耐受可以诊断出一种呼吸试验，可以在体内测量氢气，这因来自乳糖的吸收性问题而增加。克利夫兰诊所也可以做一个家庭试验，这涉及只需避免含有乳糖的食物几周，然后重新将它们重新引入您的饮食中。如果您的症状立即回来，则可能由乳糖引起。
Dairy Without Discomfort
如果你结果是乳糖不宽容，那并不意味着你需要消除所有乳制品，克里斯滕森说。如果你花时间了解你的门槛，你甚至可以用乳糖，柔软的奶酪，奶油和冰淇淋制作物品。
"There may be a certain amount you can tolerate before you have discomfort," she says. "It varies by individual. Also, if you've been off these foods for a while, you may be able to adjust your digestive system to accepting them again. By introducing them slowly, and having smaller amounts, you can increase the amount gradually without symptoms."
Another option is to make up for the shortfall of lactase in your system by using a liquid or tablet form of the enzyme, the Cleveland Clinic notes. Products like Lactaid and Dairy Ease as well as various generic versions of lactase enzyme — all available without a prescription — can help you digest foods containing lactose. You simply put a few drops of liquid in your milk or chew a tablet before eating.
You can also limit your lactose amount by choosing low-lactose dairy and alternatives, suggests Christensen. For example, the longer a cheese ages, the less lactose it has, she points out. That means if you stick to aged cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan, you shouldn't have symptoms related to lactose intolerance.
缓解症状
Taking preventive measures can usually limit any discomfort caused by lactose intolerance, but if you are experiencing problems, several types of over-the-counter remedies may be helpful, the克利夫兰诊所suggests. Choose remedies based on your symptoms.
例如，如果gas and bloatingseem to be your main issues, choose a product that contains simethicone — found in brands like Mylanta and Maalox — which can join gas bubbles together in the stomach so they're burped up more easily, the Cleveland Clinic says. If odor from being gassy is a symptom, try bismuth subsalicylate, like Pepto-Bismol, to reduce the smell, Cleveland Clinic says.
Read more:The 9 Worst Foods for Bloating
For a longer-term solution, the梅奥诊所建议尝试益生菌，其以胶囊形式可用作补充剂或在一些酸奶中的活文化中。益生菌是您消化系统中的生物体，可帮助您保持肠系健康。在进食的同时，或者将它们作为补充剂，不会改变你的乳糖酶水平，它们已被用于腹泻和腹泻等胃肠环境肠易激综合症, Mayo Clinic reports.
If your symptoms are getting worse, though, or are accompanied by more serious concerns like fever, weakness, fatigue or diarrhea that is not improving, consider making an appointment with your doctor. To prepare, the Mayo Clinic suggests writing down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that seem unrelated to your lactose intolerance.