Posted on 02/25/2010 8:11:01 AM PST by decimon
May pose diet and health risks, concludes National Institutes of Health consensus development conference panel
WASHINGTON (February 25, 2010) – People may avoid milk and other dairy products due to concerns about lactose intolerance, but eliminating these nutrient-rich foods may not only be unnecessary to manage the condition – it could impact diet and health, concludes a panel of experts assembled by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH Consensus Development Conference on Lactose Intolerance and Health was convened to examine the latest research on lactose intolerance, strategies to manage the condition and the health outcomes of diets that exclude dairy foods. Lactose is the natural sugar in milk and some people lack sufficient amounts of an enzyme that is needed to comfortably digest lactose.
After a thorough review of the scientific evidence, the Consensus Development Conference panel completed a draft consensus statement that is intended to correct some of the common misperceptions about lactose intolerance, including the belief that dairy foods need to be excluded from the diet.
Without lowfat and fat free milk and milk products in the diet, it's hard to meet nutrient needs, and available research suggests people with lactose intolerance can tolerate at least 12 grams of lactose (the amount in about one cup of milk) with no or minor symptoms. Plus, gradually re-introducing dairy into the diet can help manage symptoms and help those diagnosed benefit from dairy's unique nutrient package, including calcium, vitamin D, protein, potassium and other nutrients that are critical for bone health and beyond.
Experts also suggest drinking lowfat or fat free milk (regular or flavored) with meals or a snack instead of an empty stomach, trying small, frequent portions or buying lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk – which contain all the same nutrients as regular milk. Yogurt and hard cheeses (the panel suggests cheddar, provolone and mozzarella) may also be more easily digested.
Conducted by the National Institutes of Health since 1977, the Consensus Development Program is an unbiased, independent, evidence-based assessment of complex medical issues. The purpose is to evaluate the available scientific evidence on a medical topic and develop a statement that will advance the understanding of the issue and help guide the advice given by health professionals and directed to the public.
Lactose intolerance is a topic that is frequently misunderstood, according to Dr. Robert P. Heaney, a prominent researcher at Creighton University who presented findings to the panel on the health outcomes of dairy exclusion diets.
"With modern diets, eliminating dairy from the diet – for any reason whatsoever – will result in poor nutrition with long-term consequences for health," said Heaney.
Heaney said people need a steady supply of calcium, vitamin D and other bone-building nutrients in milk early in life to lay a sturdy foundation. Depriving the body of these nutrients has the potential to impact bone health throughout the lifecycle. Additionally, lowfat and fat free milk is the top food source of vitamin D, which has been linked to a growing range of health benefits.
African Americans have been found to have lower intakes of vitamin D, which is likely linked, in part, to their concerns about lactose intolerance. Yet, even if you have lactose intolerance – and fewer people likely have symptoms of this condition than previously believed – it's still important to find ways to incorporate milk and milk products into the diet.
This is the same conclusion made by the National Medical Association (NMA), the nation's largest group of African American physicians. Dr. Wilma Wooten, president of the San Diego chapter of the National Medical Association, presented research on the ethnic prevalence of lactose intolerance to the panel. She said the NMA released its own policy statement that alerted African-Americans that they may be at risk for nutrient deficits as a result of under-consumption of dairy foods.
"Individuals with lactose intolerance should not avoid dairy products," Wooten said. "This message should be reinforced to prevent the missed opportunity provided by the nutrient-rich package of low- and non-fat milk, hard cheese and yogurt with live active cultures."
Prevalence Estimates for Lactose Intolerance
While the panel concluded that there's insufficient evidence to determine a true prevalence of the condition, one new study presented at the conference suggested the age-adjusted, self-reported prevalence may be as little as 12 percent of the U.S. population, on average. This recent data from a national sample of three ethnic groups indicated that 7.7 percent of European Americans, 10.1 percent of Hispanic Americans and 19.5 percent of African Americans currently consider themselves lactose intolerant.
These self-reported prevalence rates are in contrast with previous higher estimates based on lactose maldigestion studies that over-estimated by wide margins the proportion of people who experience symptoms after consuming usual amounts of dairy foods.
Avoiding Health Risks
Beyond the recommendations of the NIH panel, several major health authorities agree that it is critical for people with lactose intolerance to consume dairy products every day to benefit from the unique nutrient profile of these foods.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage people with lactose intolerance to try lower-lactose dairy options (such as lactose-free milk, yogurt and hard cheeses) to ensure they get the important nutrients found in dairy.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children with lactose intolerance still consume dairy foods to help meet calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrient needs that are essential for bone health and overall growth. The group cautions that lactose intolerance usually does not require avoidance of dairy foods.
Additionally, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supports lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk as a first choice before non-dairy options for those with lactose intolerance.
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Find more resources at www.NationalDairyCouncil.org.
About the National Milk Mustache "got milk?®" Campaign
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP, runs the National Milk Mustache "got milk?®" Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk. For more information, go to www.whymilk.com. Deutsch, A Lowe and Partners Company, is the creative agency for the National Milk Mustache "got milk?®" Campaign.
About National Dairy Council
National Dairy Council® (NDC) is the nutrition research, education and communications arm of Dairy Management Inc™. On behalf of U.S. dairy farmers, NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier society, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC is dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of consuming milk and milk products throughout a person's lifespan. For more information, visit NationalDairyCouncil.org.
I am mildly lactose intolerant. I use it to make me regular. Better than ex lax. If I get bound up I eat a bowl of ice cream and it moves me. LOL.
I know vegans and vegetarians who look far younger than their years and they do take supplements. They normally eat only organic (many of them from their own gardens in the summer) and get a lot of exercise as well.
You might be able to solve your problem with acidophilous and/or digestive enzymes.
I stay away from soy milk as it is made from GMO grains; and because I read the book The Whole Soy Story.
It causes gas.Yeh kind of like banana,beans,onions,eggs...
Drink organic milk to avoid the cow hormone injections.
Bingo!
I am fortunate that the lactase supplements almost always “fix it” (assuming I remember to take them). Had suffered for years and took forever to realize what was going on.
Vegans don't. They manage for a while, but eventually their bodies become severely depleted of some key nutrients (especially certain fatty acids). There have been some real horror stories about babies born to long-time vegan mothers. Some have already suffered permanent neurological damage before they're born. One was near death when it was finally admitted to a hospital, after gestation in a nutrient-deprived mother, followed by months of breast-feeding from a mother whose breast milk lacked essential nutrients because of her vegan diet. The only way to maintain good health on a vegan diet is to consume a large quantity of artificial supplements, and even then it's very difficult. Lacto-ovo vegetarian are a whole different ballgame. I've been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for 35 years, and am in excellent health. I do take supplements, including fatty acids, but also consume a large quantity of dairy products and eggs.
Then two months ago I broke my collarbone and ankle in an accident. I wonder if a better diet of dairy could have made a difference. After 6 weeks my collarbone still wasn't back in one piece, so I went all-out and have been gorging on milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream - you name it. And you know what, I'm showing no sign of lactose intolerance. I figured I'd single-handedly cause global warming, but I've been fine with it all.
Lots of food allergies involve digestive problems. One of my cats developed an intolerance to grain after having had no problem with the grain in ordinary dry cat food for over 10 years. He lost more than half his weight and had stools of yogurt consistency. Within less than 2 days of switching to a grain-free food (has potato replacing the grain) he had perfectly normal stools again.
This is common in people as well, e.g. celiac disease and similar conditions.
500 changes suggests some serious REDESIGN.
The percentage of whites with lactose intolerance is fairly consistent with the percentage of whites today who live in deserts or highland areas not conducive to dairy cattle, or in high latitudes where, again, dairy farming is difficult.
Our nuclear family is 100% lactose intolerant. We know about what happens ~ 1 cup?! Hahahahahahah!!!!! You can blow out the toilet with that!
The lactase pills are necessary.
At the same time some dairy products are effectively lactose free ~ yoghurt, Lactaid, aged cheddar, other aged cheeses at least 9 months old ~ more if possible, and those cooked such that the lactose combines with other sugars.
I haven't been able to drink even half a cup of milk for 43 years ~ not even the amount mixed in whipped mashed potatos ~ without also using a lactase pill or eating yoghurt beforehand.
I do not trust The American Dairy Council when it comes to dairy products ~ they lie through their teeth!
Word to the wise ~ given that triple creem brei is pretty much concentrated milk and milk by products, always eat yoghurt before or with a chunk of that stuff. It goes down easier after the mushrooms grow fruiting bodies on top BTW.
Thanks. Tried both in the past....they don’t help unfortunately.
Other racial groups have a lower or unknown degree of difficulty.
There are Vietnamese who are so adapted to consuming rice they actually cannot handle any other grains. This is not the same problem folks with Celiac have ~ the genes involved are quite different.
A sedentary population can't have too much fat and sugar without becoming very fat. Basically the situation we have now ...
Try Dr. Schultz #1. It’s available on the internet and is a great “cleanser”.
One variation found frequently in Korean people has the problem start right at the pyloric valve, so they can eat a cheese burger, wait 20 minutes, and then engage in 30 and 40 foot projectile vomiting!
It's difficult to deal with the upper GI problem with just lactase pills ~ better for them to just become very paranoic about traditional American foods and not eat anything with dairy products in them ~ which can include balogna, frozen hamburger patties, most candy bars....
I think you have a valid point about it being a transient thing for some folks. I’ve read that some folks are capable of building up (and losing) their tolerance to lactose. Also, I think there are some folks who are probably misdiagnosed (self or professional) with lactose intolerance.
Can something like Bean-O help deal with the gas created? I thought most of our gas was a methane-type, not hydrogen.
I’ve never really compared. www.bluediamond.com has the information. They sell the brand Almond Breeze.
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