{"id":420,"date":"2022-07-02T17:00:31","date_gmt":"2022-07-02T17:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cdhf-2022.local\/en\/?post_type=digestive-condition&p=420"},"modified":"2025-06-23T18:56:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T18:56:40","slug":"lactose-intolerance","status":"publish","type":"digestive-condition","link":"https:\/\/cdhf.ca\/en\/digestive-conditions\/lactose-intolerance\/","title":{"rendered":"Lactose Intolerance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Impacting more than 7 million Canadians understand more about this condition.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What is lactose intolerance?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t
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Lactose intolerance is a digestive, malabsorption disorder where one is unable to properly digest dairy products. Lactose is a carbohydrate found in dairy products (such as milk and cheese, for example) and is referred to as the sugar substance in dairy. This digestive disorder is ultimately caused by the inability to produce lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose and absorbs the carbohydrate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can lead to lactose further processing through to the colon without enzymatic breakdown. In many instances, this inability to produce lactase can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps\/pain, bloating or excessive gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See also: What is lactose intolerance? Symptoms and Treatment<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens in my body if I\u2019m lactose intolerant?\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Normally, when someone eats something that contains lactose, an enzyme that\u2019s produced in your small intestine called\u00a0lactase<\/strong>\u00a0breaks down lactose into it\u2019s simpler components (which are simple sugars called glucose and galactose).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These simple sugars are then able to be absorbed in the bloodstream and give you the energy you need. If you have lactose intolerance, the body doesn\u2019t make enough lactase to break down lactose, and as a result allows undigested lactose molecules to pass to the lower parts of the intestine. At this point, the undigested lactose encounter bacteria which begin digestion through a process of fermentation. The outcome of this fermentation (hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane gases, and short-chain fatty acids) leads to many of the telltale symptoms for lactose intolerance \u2013\u00a0 like gassiness and diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prevalence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lactose Intolerance is the most common food intolerance affecting roughly 44% of Canadians according to a 2016 census documented in the Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (Fung et al, 2020). The Canadian population in 2016 was approximately 36 million people. This census revealed that roughly 16 million people in Canada had experienced some form of lactose malabsorption. Below are the average lactose intolerance rates for each region of Canada:<\/p>\n\n\n\n