Causes of Lactose Intolerance
There are two factors that contribute to lactose intolerance, lactose malabsorption and gut sensitivity. The most important factor is lactose malabsorption. It is the inability to break down and absorb lactose in your small intestine that leads to lactose later entering your large intestine and triggering symptoms.
Lactose Deficiency
In order for your small intestine to absorb lactose, it needs an enzyme known as lactase to break it down into smaller molecules. In order to aid in the digestion of breast milk, the majority of people’s tiny intestines spontaneously manufacture lactase throughout infancy. As they get older, most people start to make less of it.
You cannot digest lactose if your lactase levels are low. Lactase production varies among individuals. However, lactase insufficiency is the actual cause of lactose malabsorption in most of the world’s population. Only certain populations manufacture lactase all the way through maturity.