Lactose intolerance is an intestinal condition resulting from the organism producing little or no lactase enzyme, which is responsible for breaking lactose (natural sugar in milk) and separating it into its constituent monosaccharides (glucose and galactose are the most common).

So when the lack of lactase prevents the organism from assimilating lactose, a representative clinical picture results.

The most common symptoms associated with lactose intolerance are:

• Abdominal pain
• Gases
• Diarrhea
• Inflammation
• Cramps

• Primary intolerance: It is a genetically determined intolerance in which there is an intestinal lactase reduction in post-childhood ages.
• Secondary or acquired intolerance: This is an acquired condition, secondary to, intestinal resections, diseases of the intestinal mucous (viral infections, gastroenteritis or chemotherapy), taking medications (NSAIDs or antibiotics). These aggressions reduce the lactose hydrolysis capacity.

For people with this type of intolerance, they are strongly recommended to take products that are lactose free or which have low lactose content so their discomfort will be greatly reduced.

Lactose replacement therapy is also recommended.

Three techniques are used to detect this pathology:

• HYDROGEN BREATH TEST: This is a non-invasive and easy technique that is easy to perform which measures hydrogen (H₂) breath level after taking lactose, usually at a dose of 1 g/kg of body weight up to a maximum of 50 g.
• Lactose tolerance test.
• Small intestine biopsy.

The lactose intolerance should not be confused with irritable bowel syndrome and a differential diagnosis is required because the symptoms may be identical. The hydrogen breath test helps to differentiate them.
A distinction must also be made between lactose intolerance and allergies to the components in milk. In this latter case, however, skin and respiratory symptoms usually occur.

• H₂-LACTOSE

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