What is it called when adult can't digest milk
The inability of adults to digest milk (and dairy products) is called lactose intolerance.
It happens because the small intestine stops producing enough lactase - the enzyme that breaks down lactose (the sugar found in milk). Undigested lactose passes into the colon, where gut bacteria ferment it, producing gas, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Key facts:
- The medical term is lactase deficiency or lactase non-persistence
- It is actually the default state for most adult mammals, including most humans
- Around 65-70% of the world's adult population has some degree of lactose intolerance
- It is most common in East Asian, African, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern populations
- Northern European populations have the highest rates of lactase persistence (ability to digest milk into adulthood) due to a genetic mutation that became common after cattle domestication
Symptoms typically appear 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming dairy: bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Not the same as a milk allergy - a milk allergy is an immune response to milk proteins (casein, whey), while lactose intolerance is purely a digestive enzyme deficiency.
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