Frequently asked questions

All orders placed before 2 pm are shipped the same day. La Poste delivers within 24 to 48 hours in Metropolitan France. Allow an extra 24 to 48 hours elsewhere in Europe, and around 7 days for the rest of the world.
A tracking link is sent to you as soon as your order is processed.

• Pickup point: €2.99 — free on orders over €30.
• Home delivery: €6.99 — free on orders over €60.
• These rates apply to Metropolitan France, excluding shipping costs. For all other destinations, add an item to your cart: the exact shipping cost is then displayed automatically, based on your delivery country.

Of course. Our satisfaction guarantee runs for 60 days on every product. Here is how it works:

1. Call us on +33 9 70 70 70 87 or contact us by email.
2. Send back the unused (sealed) boxes.
3. We refund you in full, usually the same day.

Our lactase-based formulas differ by their dosage, expressed in FCC units (Food Chemical Codex), the international standard for enzyme activity.

It depends on how much difficulty you have digesting lactose, and it varies from one person to another.

As a rule, one capsule of Lactolérance 4500 goes with:

• 1 glass of milk, or
• 2 yoghurts, or
• half a camembert, or
• 1 to 2 ice creams.

One capsule is usually enough for a full meal (starter, main course, dessert). For a dish that is especially rich in lactose (cheese fondue, four-cheese pizza, panna cotta and the like), you may need 1 to 3 extra capsules of Lactolérance 4500. If you need at least two capsules of 4500 per meal, move up to Lactolérance 9000, then to Lactolérance ULTRA.

Please note: lactase acts for roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour after it is taken. If you carry on eating dairy beyond that, take another dose.

To help you judge, see our guide to the lactose content of dairy products.

The figure indicates the enzyme activity of the lactase, measured in FCC units. It corresponds to the amount of lactose that can theoretically be hydrolysed (in vitro measurement): up to 22.5 g of lactose for 4,500 FCC, up to 45 g for 9,000 FCC, and up to 100 g for 20,000 FCC. These amounts vary from one person to another, in particular with the acidity of the digestive tract.

Lactolérance ULTRA is our most concentrated formula: 20,000 FCC of lactase and 500 IU of lipase per tablet. The tablet can be chewed or swallowed, as you prefer, at the start of a meal containing lactose.

• Lactase from Aspergillus oryzae, suitable for vegetarians.
• Lactose-free.
• Box of 36 tablets or bottle of 200 tablets.
• From the age of 12.

Lactase improves lactose digestion in individuals who have difficulty digesting lactose. Take one tablet with each meal containing lactose, as part of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Lactolérance 1/DAY is a ferment-based formula, taken as one capsule a day, swallowed with a large glass of water.

Ingredients: organic acacia gum, Pro-Lactase Complex (Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Streptococcus thermophilus), HPMC vegetable capsule, rice flour, vitamin C. Gluten-free and lactose-free.

Available in 30, 90, 180 or 360 capsules. From the age of 6.

To be taken as part of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.

Milk, cheese, yoghurt, chocolate spread, crème fraîche, ice cream, milk desserts: simply adjust the number of capsules or tablets to the amount of lactose in your meal. Our guide to the lactose content of dairy products will help you gauge it.

Lactolérance is tasteless and sugar-free, so it will not alter the flavour of your food.

Lactolérance 4500, 9000 and ULTRA can be used from the very first dose, with no build-up period: the lactase acts on the lactose in the meal it is taken with. Take it at the start of the meal.

Lactolérance 1/DAY is a ferment-based formula, designed to be taken regularly, once a day.

It depends on your lifestyle and how often you eat dairy. For someone who eats lunch out and avoids lactose at home, a box of Lactolérance 4500, 9000 or ULTRA lasts around one month to six weeks. The 30-capsule 1/DAY pack covers one month; it also comes in 90, 180 and 360 capsules.

Like any food supplement, Lactolérance should be kept in a cool, dry place, out of reach of young children. Never store it in a bathroom.
In summer, the fridge door is ideal. Avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 30 °C.

Each unit provides 0.7 calories… hard to do better than that.

The lactase in Lactolérance 4500, 9000 and ULTRA comes from Aspergillus oryzae. It is generally well tolerated at the recommended doses. As with any food supplement, do not exceed the stated daily dose, and do not use the product if you are known to be allergic to any of its ingredients. If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

• Lactolérance 4500 and 9000: from the age of 3, provided the capsule is opened and the powder sprinkled over food, to avoid any risk of choking.
• Lactolérance 1/DAY: from the age of 6.
• Lactolérance ULTRA: from the age of 12.

There is no specific research on lactase supplementation during pregnancy. As a precaution, we do not recommend taking lactase while pregnant.

No contraindication is known during breastfeeding. Even so, do ask your doctor or midwife.

Around 20% of medicines contain lactose — contraceptive pills and homeopathic pellets, for instance. It is the same lactose as in dairy products: lactase taken at the same time improves lactose digestion in people who have difficulty digesting it.

Do mention it to your pharmacist, who can also tell you whether a lactose-free alternative to your treatment exists.

• abdominal pain and cramps,
• bloating,
• flatulence,
• diarrhoea,
• in some cases: nausea, vomiting, constipation, headaches.

Most people experience only a few of these digestive symptoms. They usually appear between 15 minutes and 4 hours after lactose is eaten, sometimes the following day. Only a healthcare professional can make a diagnosis.

Yes: the hydrogen breath test, or BHT (Breath Hydrogen Test). Carried out after ingesting 50 grams of lactose, it measures hydrogen in exhaled air; a reading above 20 ppm points towards the diagnosis. The test is performed in hospital, so speak to your doctor about it.

We are cautious about genetic testing, which cannot identify acquired lactose intolerance — following a medical treatment, for example.

No. An allergy is an abnormal reaction of the body to a foreign substance, the allergen, and it involves the immune system. It can become severe depending on how sensitive the person is.

Milk allergy does exist — more precisely, an allergy to milk proteins. It mainly affects children, causing digestive symptoms as well as respiratory and skin ones (eczema).

Lactose intolerance, by contrast, does not involve the immune system. It results from the incomplete digestion of lactose, a sugar found in milk.

No. Lactase acts on lactose, not on milk proteins.

Yes, shop-bought yoghurts contain lactose — unlike homemade ones. Hard and pressed cheeses contain none, or only traces.

Adding ferments changes the make-up of the gut flora, and that transition sometimes comes with a few days of discomfort. There is no need to stop: reduce the dose at the start (one capsule every two days), then work back up to the recommended amount.

Lactolérance is made in France and in Belgium. Laboratoire Physiosynthèse is a 100% French company, based at 61 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. More about us.