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.
Beano does not help. That’s a different group of enzymes. To deal with lactose you need lactase pills. They are widely available.
Not all the lactose gets converted at once. There is a local dairy that sell lactase-treated milk. The day you buy it, it tastes like regular milk. If you keep it for 12 days, (it’s super-fresh so you can) it is intolerably, weirdly sweet as all the lactose has been converted by then. Probably would be okay to drink then, but who would want to.
I have intermittant lactose intolerance and I can not handle a cup of milk when it’s bad. My brother has it bad all the time. These scientists would not want to be in the same room with my brother if he drank milk.
Ping
I would like to see stats for people who have eaten vegan their entire lives until old age (without supplements). Not that I care what anyone eats, but if it’s honestly a healthy diet for humans, we should see real proof.
True allergies are not the same as intolerances, which generally involves an inability to digest a food or a component of the food. Allergies are immune system reactions. Certainly, you could get some digestive issues with an allergy, but that is not generally the major symptom.
And, it puzzles me that cat food would have grains in them (not that I don’t believe you, I’m sure they do it to save money). Cats are true carnivours and cannot live without meat, unlike dogs which can (altho I don’t recommend it).
I sometimes make my own yogurt (from cream and half and half so it is low carb). Hard to beat it!
One time I intentionally drank a glass of milk before a long car ride with my buddies. At 60 MPH we had all the windows down and they still had to hang their heads outside the car to breath.
30 years later we still talk about that ride on occasion. They named me the rottenest man in the world, a title I am quite proud of.
You either believe calories are calories (in which case, while fat has about twice the number as carbs and proteins, it is still the number of calories you consume that matters for weight maintenance) OR you believe that a low carb diet, which can be quite high in fat can maintain a good weight. Either way, fat is not the enemy, it’s simply one component of a normal human diet.
It’s basically impossible to make dry cat food hold together in pellets with significant carbohydrate content. And this cat refuses to eat wet food (or any food other than dry cat food).
The line between allergy and intolerance is very fuzzy. The inflammation resulting from “intolerance” is caused by many of the same immune system cells and molecules that are responsible for a direct allergic reaction. And the inflammation in the digestive tract is what results in the digestive problems and in severe cases, in serious nutritional deficiency due to the inability of the inflamed digestive tract to absorb nutrients from food. The inflammation can be caused either by a direct allergic response to certain substances or by the failure to digest certain substances which then reach parts of the digestive tract that weren’t designed to handle them.
My 15-year-old son gets sinus symptoms when he drinks milk. He's been off milk for about 6 months now and doesn't need any of his allergy meds anymore.
He was a platinum blond and that may have had something to do with it. And yes, he regularly went barefoot in the snow while doing farm work.
Allergy is an immune response. Intolerance is a digestive system response. Symptoms may be similar but the are different things.
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/foods-allergy-intolerance
Interesting fact I learned back when I worked for a Vet. Cats often will only eat the shape of food they are used to. It’s the reason for all of the funny shaped cat foods, as opposed to dog foods which tend to all be the same shape (and dogs could generally care less, they will eat anything). Still, cats’ natural food is not potatoes or grains.
One of my sons had probable food allergies as a small child. For the first 3 or 4 years he was not to eat milk, wheat or eggs. He seems to eat those things ok as an adult, but yes, he had respiratory symptoms back then.
Soy helps create estrogen. Turns males into girly men. And that’s the truth!
I agree.
Could also be the blood type of individuals who are allergic to milk.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/eat-right-for-your-type
I can take “Lactose Free” regular milk. Otherwise, cow’s milk gives me hemmoriods. A real pain....
I think some of this is because of the AR agenda. But then, I’m cynical. ;)
AR = Animal Rights, yes? I knew it couldn’t be Arkansas ...
LOL yes, Animal Rights. But maybe those people in Arkansas...what do we really know about them? ;)
I know it does! And it sends too much estrogen to women, putting their hormones off-course.
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