Nutritional management of lactose intolerance: the importance of diet and food labelling.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to identify dietary management strategies for lactose-intolerant individuals to avoid symptoms and nutrient deficiencies, aided by specific labeling for safer product choices.
Results Summary
The study highlights that lactose intolerance can lead to gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms, and dietary management involves reducing lactose intake, lactase supplementation, and probiotics. It also notes the risks of nutrient deficiencies from complete dairy exclusion and challenges with hidden lactose in non-dairy products.
Population
Adults with lactose intolerance or lactase deficiency.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
reducing or eliminating lactose from the diet | decrease | symptoms | people who suffer from lactose malabsorption | - | symptoms disappear | #1 |
supplementing lactase | neutral | lactose intolerance | people who suffer from lactose malabsorption | - | treatment | #2 |
inducing colon microbiome adaptation by probiotics | neutral | lactose intolerance | people who suffer from lactose malabsorption | - | treatment | #3 |
complete exclusion of dairy products | increase | bone diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis | - | - | favor the development | #4 |
dietetic approach | neutral | management of LI patients | LI patients | - | crucial role | #5 |
strict adherence to the lactose-free diet | neutral | diet adherence | LI patients | - | becomes challenging | #6 |
identification of specific safe and suitable products with a well-recognized lactose-free logo | neutral | consumer choice | consumers | - | might help | #7 |
dietary management | decrease | symptoms and nutrients deficiencies | lactose intolerant people | - | avoiding | #8 |
use of specific labelling | neutral | choice of safer product on the market | lactose intolerant people | - | guide | #9 |
Worldwide, 70% of the adult population has limited expression of lactase enzyme with a wide variation among different regions and countries. Lactase deficiency may lead to lactose intolerance (LI). Depending both on the amount of lactose ingested and on the lactase activity, people who suffer from lactose malabsorption might experience numerous gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms and manifestations. Treatment of LI mainly consists of reducing or eliminating lactose from the diet until the symptoms disappear as well as supplementing lactase, and inducing colon microbiome adaptation by probiotics. Cow's milk is one of the major source of calcium and several other vitamins and minerals. Thus, a complete exclusion of dairy products may favor the development of bone diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis. Therefore, the dietetic approach has a crucial role in the management of LI patients. Additionally, the use of lactose and milk-derived products in non-dairy products (e.g., baked goods, breakfast cereals, drinks, and processed meat) has become widespread in the modern industry (the so-called "hidden lactose"). In this regard, a strict adherence to the lactose-free diet becomes challenging for LI patients, forced to continuous check of all products and food labels. In fact, lactose-free product labeling is still controversial. Considering that nowadays a specific cut-off value establishing "lactose-free" labeling policy is lacking and that there is no universal law regulating the production and commercialization of "delactosed" products, identification of specific safe and suitable products with a well-recognized lactose-free logo might help consumers. This narrative review aims to identify the dietary management for lactose intolerant people, avoiding symptoms and nutrients deficiencies, helped by the use of specific labelling to guide them to choose the safer product on the market.