How is lactose intolerance treated?
Dr. Amin discusses how lactose intolerance is treated. Click play to watch the video or read the transcript.
Though there isn’t a specific treatment for lactose intolerance – because there isn’t a treatment to make the body create more lactase enzyme – there are steps you can take to manage lactose intolerance, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Most people with lactose intolerance have different levels of how much lactose their body can tolerate, according to the FDA.
For some people controlling the lactose in their diet could mean limiting the amounts of milk and other dairy products in their diets, according to the FDA. For other people, it could mean eliminating some things completely.
Avoiding or greatly limiting milk in your diet can lead to a shortage of calcium, protein, riboflavin, and vitamin D, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
If you are avoiding or limiting milk, you could eat foods with more calcium, such as leafy greens, shrimp, and broccoli, and drink orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Or, you could talk to your doctor about taking calcium supplements with added vitamin D, according to the NIH.
For more information about treating lactose intolerance, talk to your physician.
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