Lactose intolerant girls can have their milk and dri...( COLUMBUS Ohio -...)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Teenage girls who can't adequately digest lactose can still consume enough dairy products every day to provide their recommended daily dose of calcium, new research suggests. And they can do so with minimal symptoms of lactose intolerance.

The key is to slowly add dairy products to the diet, said Steve Hertzler, a study co-author and an assistant professor of medical dietetics at Ohio State.

The study involved 14 African-American girls. Nearly 60 to 80 percent of African Americans cannot adequately digest lactose, according to Hertzler.

At the end of three weeks of eating and drinking dairy products daily, the girls had a marked decrease in common symptoms of lactose intolerance, particularly bloating and gas.

"Eating enough dairy foods to reach 1,300 milligrams of calcium each day - the recommended amount for all teenagers - should not cause considerable discomfort for girls who have a problem digesting lactose," Hertzler said.

The research appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

"We get 75 percent of our calcium from dairy products. If we stop drinking milk, it is difficult to get enough calcium."

Lactose maldigestion means a reduction in the activity of lactase, an enzyme in the small intestine that breaks down lactose. Lactose intolerance refers to the severity of the symptoms (including abdominal pain, diarrhea and headaches) caused by th
'"/>

Contact: Steve Hertzler
Hertzler.4@osu.edu
614-292-8141
Ohio State University
28-Jun-2000