National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Lactose Intolerance is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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National Institutes of Health
Lactose Intolerance
Also called: Dairy product intolerance, Lactase deficiency, Milk intolerance
Lactose intolerance means that you cannot digest foods with lactose in them. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and foods made with milk. After eating foods with lactose in them, you may feel sick to your stomach. You may also have
- Gas
- Diarrhea
- Swelling in your stomach
Your doctor may do a blood, breath or stool test to find out if your problems are due to lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance is not serious. Eating less food with lactose, or using pills or drops to help you digest lactose usually helps. You may need to take a calcium supplement if you don't get enough of it from your diet, since milk and foods made with milk are the most common source of calcium for most people.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Start Here
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Lactose Intolerance(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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What I Need to Know about Lactose Intolerance
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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Lactose Intolerance
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Overviews
- Lactose Intolerance(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Lactose Intolerance(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
- Problems Digesting Dairy Products?(Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
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Latest News
- Health Tip: If You're Lactose Intolerant(10/02/2012, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Lactose Intolerance: Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor(Harvard Medical School)
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Nutrition
- Lactose Intolerance: Other Options(Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
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Related Issues
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Dairy Dilemma: Are You Getting Enough Calcium?(National Institutes of Health)
- Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergy: What's the Difference?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Lactose Intolerance and Celiac Disease(Celiac Disease Foundation) - PDF
- Milk Allergy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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What People with Lactose Intolerance Need to Know about Osteoporosis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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Dairy Dilemma: Are You Getting Enough Calcium?
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Lactose Intolerance(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Lactose Intolerance
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: Lactose intolerance(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Lactose intolerance
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary
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Organizations
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Children
- Lactose Intolerance(Nemours Foundation)
- Lactose Intolerance in Children(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Milk for Kids with Lactose Intolerance(Food and Nutrition Service) - PDF
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Teenagers
- Lactose Intolerance(Nemours Foundation)
- Lactose Intolerance: A Guide for Teens(Children's Hospital Boston)
- Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
- Lactose intolerance
- Also available in Spanish
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Lactose Intolerance(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Milk for Kids with Lactose Intolerance(Food and Nutrition Service) - PDF
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