What are the effects of not treating intolerance?

Answer 1

Lactose intolerance is not the same as an allergy. An allergy means that your body reacts to milk or other dairy produce and creates antibodies. Allergies can be very dangerous if your body overreacts.

Lactose intolerance means that you are not able to digest lactose since you don't produce enough of the enzyme lactase. This means that lactose goes through your system until it reaches the large intestine. Here it will find lots of bacteria who are just waiting for a meal of milk sugar. They will digest the lactose and produce byproducts of hydrogen and lactic acid and other acids. The hydrogen (CO2 and methane too) will cause bloating and other uncomfortable symptoms.

There is less lactose in cheese and yoghurt. When milk curdles during processing, the lactose goes in the liquid portion. The bad news is that this whey is used as a filler in almost all processed/produced goods. Look for whey and other milk products on the label. The problem with cutting out all dairy is providing yourself with enough calcium in your diet so that you don't have other problems. Have a look at the page links, listed under Related Links. These will suggest foods which have calcium and low lactose content.

I avoided lactose for quite a while - just a little milk in coffee - and then reintroduced milk products. I found that I was more tolerant of them.