Therapy for Lactose Intolerance

Those who suffer from Lactose Intolerance should avoid lactose-containing products. This therapy is without medication, but is often difficult in our culture - milk and milk products are among the most popular foods and are also the most important calcium sources and thus prevent osteoporosis.

Experts therefore recommend not switching diets just for suspected Lactose Intolerance, but only after a doctor has diagnosed it.

Only a few of those affected must completely avoid lactose

Therefore, it is necessary to test the personal tolerance for lactose. Many people with Lactose Intolerance can tolerate ten to twelve grams of lactose per day - equivalent to a glass of milk. However, the way that this quantity is absorbed also plays a role. Drinking a glass of milk on an empty stomach leads almost all people with Lactose Intolerance to serious symptoms, such as diarrhea. Lactose is better tolerated when taken with other foods, during a meal for example. Many sufferers report that they are able to tolerate smaller amounts over the course of the day better than a larger portion at one time.

Getting the right nutrition with Lactose Intolerance

In the beginning, maintaining a low-lactose diet requires a lot of effort because you need special knowledge about the composition of foods. Not all dairy products are equally poorly tolerated: milk contains a lot of lactose (milk sugar), as does cream and buttermilk. Young cheese also has a high lactose content. Ripened cheese, on the other hand, often contains very little lactose. The same is true for natural yogurt, since milk sugar becomes lactic acid during its production.

For people with Lactose Intolerance, it is essential to pay close attention to diet and to study the ingredients lists on foods. Lactose is hidden in many industrially manufactured products. For example, chocolate often has a high milk sugar content. The chocolates from Frusano are an exception here: all are lactose-free. Apart from chocolate and dairy products though, it is important to pay attention to all food choices when living with Lactose Intolerance. Many food producers also add lactose to meat and sausage products, sweets, breads and pastries, sauces, preserves, and ready-to-eat foods, in order to change the consistency of their food. Manufacturers are required to state whether their products contain milk or milk products as an ingredient, but the quantity remains unclear in most cases. As a rule of thumb, the farther down the list an ingredient appears, the smaller its share in the overall product.

Lactose-free products make the choice easy

The large number of lactose-free products in super- and drugstore stores makes it easier for people with Lactose Intolerance to buy, because the therapy of Lactose Intolerance consists in dispensing with foods with high lactose content. However, the term "lactose-free" is unfortunately not regulated by law. Most products labeled "lactose-free" contain less than 0.1 gram of lactose per 100g. This limit is certain when it is stated explicitly on the packaging, as is the case with the Frusano products.

A partial therapy to consider: oral lactase supplements

At home the food changeover usually works well. Outside the house, however - for example when visiting restaurants or traveling - it can be difficult to maintain a low-lactose diet. In such cases, many sufferers use oral lactase supplements. It is freely available in pharmacies, health care centers, and drugstores, as well as in the Frusano Shop. The dosage should be based on the amount of lactose taken.

Please see also:

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance?

Diagnosing Lactose Intolerance?