You know the feeling – 30 minutes to a couple of hours after eating dairy, your stomach starts to grumble. You put up with it, because you don’t want to give up your favorite foods. Here are some of the common symptoms of dairy sensitivity and lactose intolerance:
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Gas
Bloating
Discomfort can be mild or severe, depending on how much lactose you ate and how deficient you are in lactase, the enzyme that breaks down milk sugars.
Some people get severe symptoms when they eat any milk-based foods that contain lactose, while others can tolerate small servings of their favorite dairy treats.
Before you stop eating dairy, try LACTAID® supplements or other lactose-free products to see if that helps. If your symptoms don’t clear up, mention it to your healthcare professional.