{"id":860,"date":"2022-06-27T15:42:50","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T13:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/?p=860"},"modified":"2025-08-13T11:22:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T09:22:37","slug":"intolerance-lactose-definition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/lactose-intolerance-definition\/","title":{"rendered":"What is lactose intolerance?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>What is lactose? \ud83e\udd14<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/fr\/content\/51-lactose\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lactose<\/a>\u00a0is the sugar (or carbohydrate) in milk<\/strong>. It is a complex sugar (disaccharide), which can only be digested if it is converted into simple sugars (glucose + galactose).<\/p>\n<p>This transformation is achieved by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/fr\/content\/111-lactase\">the enzyme lactase<\/a>\u00a0(in the small intestine) and makes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/fr\/content\/51-lactose\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"16\" title=\"lactose\">lactose<\/a> (broken down into lactic acid) which can be absorbed by the digestive tract.<\/p>\n<p>When we think of lactose, we think of dairy products, but also of the difficulty some people have in digesting them. In fact, many of us are lactose intolerant and have difficulty digesting dairy products. <strong>suffer digestive problems of varying severity<\/strong>. To better understand lactose intolerance, it's important to understand what lactose is and what it does to our bodies.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Lactose: definition<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>First of all, lactose must be clearly distinguished from lactase. Lactose is a sugar, whereas <strong>lactase is an enzyme<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>To be more precise, <strong>lactose is the milk sugar.<\/strong> It is a \"complex\" sugar that can only be properly digested if it is broken down into the two simple sugars glucose and galactose. To do this, our bodies need an enzyme called lactase. <strong>This enzyme is produced in the small intestine<\/strong> so that when we eat products containing lactose, it can be assimilated by the digestive tract.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is the action of lactase on lactose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Lactase is an enzyme produced by humans and all mammals in the small intestine. <strong>Lactase converts lactose into simple sugars<\/strong> that our body can easily digest. Lactase is therefore essential for digesting milk properly.<\/p>\n<p>In the body of a newborn, lactase is at its highest level. As we grow, the amount of the enzyme gradually decreases to a residual level of only 5 to 10% in adulthood.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why does our body have difficulty tolerating lactose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As you can see, the older we get, the less lactase our bodies produce. As a result, it becomes more difficult to assimilate<strong> lactose, found in dairy products in particular (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/foods-that-contain-lactose-hide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sometimes hidden<\/a>)<\/strong>. This lactose intolerance is in fact the norm, since we know that our prehistoric ancestors no longer produced lactase after weaning.<\/p>\n<p>10,000 years ago, the peoples of the Caucasus began to consume milk from their farms. Gradually, these individuals became more tolerant of lactose and passed on this genetic mutation to their descendants.<\/p>\n<p>Today, intolerance is still in the majority. In an adult population, lactase production is marginal. Worldwide, 75% of people are lactose intolerant (50 to 80% of the population of South America, 60 to 80% in Black Africa and 95% in Asia).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lactose intolerance<\/strong> lactose intolerance is therefore 'normal' worldwide, but a minority in Europe, where, taking all degrees of intolerance together, lactose intolerant people represent around 40% of the population. In France, 5 million people are affected in their daily lives, <strong>so you're not alone!<\/strong> \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is lactose intolerance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>All in all, <strong>lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose<\/strong>This is because the body no longer produces enough lactase, the digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose into digestible simple sugars.<\/p>\n<p>In people with<strong>lactose intolerance<\/strong>lactose, the undecomposed lactose will ferment in the digestive tract and cause<strong> discomfort and inconvenience associated with poor digestion.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to identify and avoid lactose in case of intolerance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Lactose is, of course, present - at varying levels. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/fr\/content\/87-teneur-en-lactose-des-produits-laitiers\">in dairy products<\/a>. However, this is not the end of the story, <strong>it can also be found in processed products<\/strong> or in some <strong>medicines and in 100% contraceptive pills<\/strong>for example. We don't always suspect it, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/charcuterie-sans-lactose\/\">but charcuterie, for example, can contain lactose<\/a> (lardons, p\u00e2t\u00e9s, merguez sausages, white pudding, sausages, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>It can be difficult to manage lactose intolerance on a day-to-day basis, but you should know that the law requires all products to be labelled in bold with all allergens, including milk. So you can enjoy products containing lactose with complete peace of mind,<strong> you can opt for the lactase supplementation offered by Lactol\u00e9rance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/fr\/34-nos-complements-alimentaires\"><em>Click here to discover our food supplements<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How does lactose intolerance manifest itself?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>From<\/strong> <strong>digestive problems of varying degrees<\/strong> may appear, depending on the amount of <strong>lactose<\/strong> absorbed and the sensitivity of each individual, such as :<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>borborygma (stomach rumbling),<\/li>\n<li>abdominal swelling,<\/li>\n<li>stomach upsets (heartburn, abdominal cramps),<\/li>\n<li>bloating and flatulence,<\/li>\n<li>diarrhoea - sometimes also: nausea and vomiting, even gastro-oesophageal reflux, constipation, chronic fatigue and migraines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>These digestion problems generally appear between 15 minutes and 4 hours<\/strong> (sometimes up to 24 hours) after drinking milk-based beverages (a glass of fresh milk, whole or semi-skimmed milk, including powdered milk, small quantities of goat's milk or breast milk, but sometimes a simple chocolate milk will suffice) or ingesting products containing lactose (fresh cheeses, mature cheeses, hard cheeses, industrial yoghurts, but also cold meats, ice creams - and even certain medicines that use lactose as an excipient!)<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is the difference between lactose intolerance and lactose allergy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Intolerance (failure to assimilate lactose), which may be hereditary, should not be confused with allergy to cow's milk, which involves <strong>a strong immune system reaction to aggression. \u26a0\ufe0f<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lactose intolerance<\/strong> must also be distinguished from other diseases of the digestive system such as irritable bowel syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease and other food allergies (gluten allergy) or food intolerances (gluten intolerance).<\/p>\n<h2><strong>And what about Lactol\u00e9rance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Lactol\u00e9rance is a French brand and has been an expert in lactose intolerance since 2010.<\/p>\n<p>Lactolerance offers solutions to improve lactose digestion to suit every lifestyle:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lactol\u00e9rance 4500 &amp; Lactol\u00e9rance 9000, 2 dietary supplements based on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/lactase-2\/\"><strong>lactase enzyme<\/strong><\/a>which facilitate lactose digestion.<\/li>\n<li>Lactolerance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/en\/25-lactolerance-1day\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"39\" title=\"1day\">1Day<\/a>1 dietary supplement based on probiotic lactase precursor strains<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>With Lactol\u00e9rance, the days of gastrointestinal problems and diets are over - at last you can eat what you want, no questions asked!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/fr\/nos-complements-alimentaires\/134-pack-decouverte-protection-24h-134.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1108 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte.jpg\" alt=\"Image redirecting to the lactor\u00e9lance 1day pack and 9000 pill dispenser product sheet\" width=\"100%\" height=\"NaN\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte-400x133.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte-800x267.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte-768x256.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte-1536x512.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte-2048x683.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-bas-de-page-FR-NOUVEAU-PACK-Decouverte-18x6.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:3px;border-color:#e50953\"><a href=\"#\" style=\"color:#e50953\">Go to top<\/a><\/div>\n<style>\n.faq-custom h4 {\n  background-color: #2b1112;\n  color: #fff8f2;\n  padding: 10px;\n  border-radius: 4px;\n  margin-top: 1em;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"rank-math-schema-faq faq-custom\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h4 itemprop=\"name\">What is lactose intolerance?<\/h4>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Lactose intolerance is difficulty in digesting lactose, the natural sugar in milk. It results from a deficiency in lactase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down this sugar in the small intestine.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h4 itemprop=\"name\">What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?<\/h4>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Common symptoms include bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhoea and even nausea or fatigue after consuming lactose-containing products.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h4 itemprop=\"name\">What is the difference between milk allergy and lactose intolerance?<\/h4>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Milk allergy is a reaction of the immune system to milk proteins, while lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder caused by the inability to digest a sugar, lactose. The two should not be confused.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h4 itemprop=\"name\">What causes lactose intolerance?<\/h4>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">It can be genetic (primary alactasia) or acquired (secondary alactasia), following an infection, digestive disease or treatment that has affected the intestine.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n<h4 itemprop=\"name\">How do you know if you are lactose intolerant?<\/h4>\n<div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n<p itemprop=\"text\">Intolerance may be suspected on the basis of digestive symptoms experienced after ingesting dairy products. A diagnosis can be confirmed by a respiratory test, a genetic test or a supervised eviction test.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; What is lactose? \ud83e\udd14 Lactose is the sugar (or carbohydrate) in milk. It is a complex sugar (disaccharide), which is only digestible if it is converted into simple sugars (glucose + galactose). This transformation is carried out by the enzyme lactase (in the small intestine) and makes the lactose (broken down into lactic acid) available to the digestive tract. When [...]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1029,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comprendre-son-intolerance-au-lactose"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=860"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3174,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860\/revisions\/3174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lactolerance.fr\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}