Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder that affects many people around the world. It manifests itself through uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or nausea after consuming dairy products. People with lactose intolerance are generally very careful about what they eat, carefully avoiding products containing lactose.
Nevertheless, lactose intolerance can become a problem when you travel, with symptoms that can be more intense. We explain why in this article.
Disrupted eating habits
When you travel, it's common to change your eating habits. This can be linked to the discovery of new local culinary specialities, and sometimes to the consumption of richer or fattier foods. These changes can disrupt digestion and make the symptoms of lactose intolerance more noticeable.
In some parts of the world, the dairy products consumed are not the same as those to which we are generally accustomed in Europe. In some countries, dairy products may be higher in lactose or have special features in their manufacturing process, making them more difficult to digest.
When travelling, it's sometimes harder to control what you eat, especially when you're confronted with foreign menus or local foods containing ingredients you're not used to. People who are lactose intolerant may unknowingly consume lactose hidden in sauces, soups or pastries, which can trigger symptoms of lactose intolerance in unexpected ways.
Travel stress
Stress is an often underestimated factor in triggering the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Travelling can be a source of stress for many reasons: preparing luggage, managing timetables, transport, jet lag and so on.
Stress can lead to an increase in gastric acid production and disrupt intestinal flora, making the digestive system more vulnerable. This can exacerbate the symptoms of lactose intolerance, as a digestive system already under stress will have greater difficulty digesting lactose. lactose.
Jet lag and disruption of the biological clock
Travelling across several time zones can disrupt your circadian rhythm (biological clock). This can disrupt your digestive system and reduce the effectiveness of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in the intestine. Reduced lactase production can make it more difficult to digest lactose and increase the onset of intolerance symptoms.
The disruption to sleep patterns caused by jet lag can also affect the balance of the intestinal microbiota. Insufficient or poor quality sleep can increase the sensitivity of the digestive system, making the symptoms of lactose intolerance more acute.
Being vigilant to better manage lactose intolerance when travelling
The local diet, changes in eating habits, the stress of travelling, jet lag and disruption of the intestinal microbiota can all exacerbate the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
So it's essential to pay attention to what you eat when you travel, even if it's difficult to know exactly how food is prepared in other parts of the world.
Reading food labels carefully or taking lactase supplements if necessary can help reduce the risk of developing lactose intolerance symptoms during your trip.
Hello, I'm Vincent
Like you, I'm lactose intolerantI know exactly what you're going through and the difficulties you encounter on a daily basis. For over 10 years, I've been helping our customers to use our dietary supplements and giving advice and tips on how to improve their digestive comfort. I'm also a keen cook and gourmet, so you'll find my favourite recipes for a lactose-free diet in this blog.
Lactose intolerance is not inevitable! With LACTOLERANCE you can digest with complete peace of mind
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