The inability to consume dairy products has been present in a large part of the population for hundreds of centuries and occurs when the human body cannot produce lactase, an enzyme present in the small intestine that is capable of breaking down milk sugars, also known as lactose.

And that is that, according to an article published in the Spanish Journal of Digestive Diseases, at least 80% of people in the world are more or less lactose intolerant.

All dairy products contain sugars called lactose.

It usually develops during growth, especially during puberty, although there are diseases such as celiac disease, colitis, gastroenteritis and others that cause damage to the intestinal mucosa, thus creating intolerance.

A scientific study redefines common beliefs about the origin of lactose intolerance

Although it can also be a genetic case, in this sense, difficulties in the production of lactase are noticeable from the first week of life.

Pay attention to the symptoms you have, they could indicate that you are lactose intolerant

Five common symptoms of lactose intolerance

According to Gastrolab, there are five vital symptoms that determine whether you are intolerant and they must appear at the right time when you drink milk or its derivatives:

ARCHIVE – If you are lactose intolerant, you can replace them with products such as oat milk, almonds, etc. Photo: Sina Schuldt/dpa Photo: Sina Schuldt

Note that some people produce small amounts of lactase and still do not have this condition, although this will also depend on the amount of dairy products you consume.

What are the differences between food allergy and food intolerance?

“Many will enjoy dairy products in small amounts or with other types of food. The severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of lactose ingested and individual tolerance,” the journal article states.