Is lactose intolerance a "disorder" or is it natural?

Question

I've been vegetarian since I was 10 and I've been vegan for about 3 years. I have noticed alot of people I know say they are lactose intolerant or that they have a "bad reaction" to dairy products (these people are not vegan, but average eaters of meat/dairy/etc). I get severe pain in my stomach, bloating, gassiness, nausea, and an overall "yucky" feeling when I consume lactose, even small amounts like in Ibuprofen etc.

So I'm wondering. Does anyone else think it kind of makes sense to not be able to digest lactose after say, 5 years of age?? I mean, we are mammals. Our bodies are designed to thrive on our mother's milk until we self-wean around 3 or 4. After that we have no need of dairy, especially another species'. So it kind of figures that we wouldn't be able to digest it after a certain point.

Does anyone see where I'm coming from? That lactose intolerance is not so much a medical condition ("lactase deficiency") but a dietary condition ("adults don't need milk")?

Answer 1

It is totally normal not to be able to digest lactose over the age of 5. Humans can naturally lose their lactase enzyme between the ages of 2-5. Before that, lactose intolerance is EXTREMELY rare and a VERY big problem, since human milk is almost all lactose.

It used to be theorized that in societies where they used a lot of dairy products, people adapted and continued to produce lactase. It has since been shown that continued lactase production is actually a dominate trait and that it has nothing to do with cultural geneology, but rather with basic genetics, just like eye color. (I.e., it is normal to be lactose intolerant or to have blue eyes, but the dominant trait is to be lactose tolerant or to have brown eyes)

Don't take my word for it, though, check it out here: http://www.cambridge.org/us/books/kiple/lactose.htm

Answer 2

I see where you're coming from, but I don't think you're correct.

It is kind of weird that people use milk from another animal, but people are obviously pretty strange animals. Maybe people used milk for millions of years and adapted to it (that's just an opinion). Not every culture does it though--I don't think the Chinese or Japanese use milk as a traditional part of their diet. India, however, has definitely used milk, yogurt and butter as a dietary staple for thousands of years.

Lactose intolerance is definitely a recognized metabolic disorder. It is pretty common but some people have it and others don't.

If everyone had lactose intolerance, why do some people have a bad reaction to dairy products while others digest them with no problem?

People do a lot of things that technically "aren't natural." Walking upright causes health problems for a lot of people, so somebody could argue that it isn't natural.

Answer 3

People are supposed to become intolerant after they stop breast feeding. Most people in the world are "lactose intolerant" to some degree because that is natural. Mainly northern Europeans have the mutation to be lactose tolerant since they began consuming dairy a long time ago, but many other cultures did not.

Answer 4

You are absolutely right..

A very high percentage of people are lactose intolerant.. some just don't realize it.

I believe veganism is the best diet, I just haven't yet been able to give up my cheese pizza, miracle whip, and well.. cheese in general LOL.. But I have been vegetarian for 17 years.. So far I am not Lactose intolerant, dairy doesn't affect me negatively as far as I can tell.. but lactose intolerance can start at any age! My mom sure gets sick if she eats certian dairy (ranch or blue-cheese dressings are the worst, I think).

Anyway, I think you're right..

Answer 5

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Lactose intolerance simply means your body doesn't have enough enzymes in the small intestine to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk.
I really don't think it has anything to do with it being a "dietary condition"
I'm vegan and well enough to know are teeth are made to break down mammal delivered proteins and lactose sugars found in milk
We do need calcium, it doesn't scarily have to come from milk. But lack of calcium can effect bone and tooth formation and the immobility to ad sored nutrients in the body.
We need "milk" by saying we need calcium, we don't NEED to get calcium by milk. Collard greens, almonds, kelp and soy milk can give you great amount of calcium without lactose sugars.

It's not a die try condition really, it's more of a digestion condition

Answer 6

I have read both views. Allergy Vs Natural(weaned)
What ever it is those who try to continue after it happens are miserable.
I tested out as actually being allergic to the protein in cows milk. I do react to lactose in meds, had a Rx last year with it in it. I didn't realize it was in Ibuprofen!!! I'll need to check & see what others it's in. My whole family even as children tend not to do well on cow's milk. My 4 grand daughters don't use it once weaned do milk free beverges; Rice, Almond etc.

Answer 7

Jonni is WRONG!

for soooo many reasons.......and yes being lactose intolerant is a natural part of growing out of childhood

and about from that Jonni....humans are meant to self-wean from the breast at from 2-7 years of age....so don't pin your cultural opinion in here as if it's some kind of fact

i am a vegetarian.....i don't drink milk.....but i do love me some cheese!....i buy a variety of cheeses and other milk products.....mostly organic.......some of my favorite cheeses are from goat and sheep

but i also believe that milk products are not dietry necessary

Answer 8

People such as myself that are lactose tolerant are freaks of nature. Well, I doubt I am anymore after 5 years without dairy. It's a good reason not to use the ability.

Milk is for babies, 'period'.

Answer 9

I had a doctor who told me that everyone was lactose intolerant, just to varying degrees. Some noticed no symptoms, some severe symptoms. So that makes sense to me, that it's not a medical condition at all - just something we weren't designed to be able to digest.

Answer 10

Humans have been drinking the milk from other animals for thousands of years, so it makes sense that some of us would evolve to be able to digest it better. I'm not saying this is right or wrong.... it's just the way it is.