Hi! So in the family, I have two sisters, and one of them has lactose intolerance. But I wanted to know because my other sister and I, and our parents, do not have any problem ingesting dairy products or those with lactose. How is that possible?
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A person suffering from lactose intolerance can experience difficulty digesting lactose, or milk sugar, which commonly constitutes dairy and products with milk. There are still people born with a genetic variant causing them to have less lactase production in reference with their age, making them intolerant of lactose. To simply explain the process of how lactose intolerance can take place when a small intestine insufficiently generates enough enzyme, which is lactase, lactose can't be digested and absorbed because lactase is a form of the enzyme that makes way for the conversion of lactose to absorbable forms, which are galactose and glucose. Additionally, the presence of anaerobic bacteria surrounding the large intestine can be a factor that trigger lactose intolerance symptoms. In some cases, people may only experience modest symptoms, while others can be significantly and severely affected by having a lactose intolerance ailment. In accordance with your reported case, your lactose-intolerant sister has likely acquired a genetic variant that hinders her body's ability to produce a lactase enzyme. Nevertheless, there are corners of the situation which can draw out the possibility indicating that none in your family, or not even your other sister or your parents have inherited that particular genetic difference. A result that can be formulated by that is you will be subjected to not having any particular reactions similar to your lactose-intolerant sister when you are about to ingest lactose-containing foods. It is relevant to think of the fact that lactose intolerance can occur at any time, which does not exemplify the chance of having it by people who were never lactose intolerant before. The aging process, particular medical disorders, and intestinal injuries are also potential causes. However, aside from the aforementioned response, it is still a good idea to find the ideal person to talk to about your sister's lactose intolerance, whether it be your doctor or a qualified dietitian, who can give advice and follow-up recommendations for living a healthy life with a lactose intolerance illness.
To find out more about this topic, visit the links below:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/lactose-intolerance#:~:text=Lactose%20intolerance%20often%20runs%20in,after%20a%20disease%20or%20infection.
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/lactose-intolerance/
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