Open the bar
How does oxygen reach all parts of the body? How do the blood vessels get stuck little by little? Why is the respiratory system always invaded by germs...
Sometimes, medical and health care knowledge is boring, obscure, abstract and difficult to remember.
Since October, Life Times has set up a column of "Comic Painting Science" to paint images to make this knowledge "live", so that you can understand and learn at a glance.
Why do people drink milk and diarrhea?
Milk is rich in calcium, high-quality protein, vitamin A, vitamin B2 and other nutrients, and has the reputation of "white blood" of the human body. The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommend that adults should consume 300 grams of milk or a considerable amount of dairy products per day.
However, this high-nutrient food is not easy for everyone to digest. Some people will have bloating, abdominal pain, and even farts and diarrhea as soon as they drink milk, and this discomfort is called "lactose intolerance".
Lactose intolerance is generally divided into three types: congenital lactase deficiency, secondary lactase deficiency, and adult-type lactase deficiency. Most lactose intolerances are not innate.
- Usually, at 8 weeks of gestation, lactase activity in the body gradually increases, peaking at birth.
- Before the age of 1 to 2, the child's food is mainly milk and dairy products, and the number and activity of lactase in the body are very strong at this time.
- After 3 to 5 years of age, with the reduction of milk intake, the number and activity of lactase gradually decline, and when eating milk or dairy products, it is easy to have abdominal pain, bloating, stool formation and other symptoms.
- The older you are, the higher the chance of lactose intolerance.
About 90% of mainland adults have symptoms of lactose intolerance of mild or severe severity. Globally, Asia is one of the "hardest hit areas" of lactose intolerance. Why can't someone drink milk? The Times of Life takes you to the guts of this type of person who is "derelict in their duties."
Audit specialists
Zhou Yan, deputy chief physician of the Department of Endocrinology, Aviation General Hospital
Editor of this issue 丨 Xu Wenting Luo Rong
Drawing 丨 Ma Hongliang
Dereliction of duty one: Discontinuation of lactase
The lactose in milk is broken down into glucose and galactose by lactase in the small intestine, which is then absorbed and utilized. Unlike other digestive enzymes secreted by the liver or pancreas, lactase is "homegrown" by the villi of the small intestine.
When a large amount of milk enters the small intestine, the only lactase will diligently break down the lactose in milk into glucose and galactose.
Dereliction of duty two: the small intestine is not guarded strictly
When too much milk is ingested, the only lactase enzyme is not busy at all, resulting in lactose not being fully digested and absorbed by the small intestine, and most of the lactose becomes a "fish that slips through the net" and slips directly into the large intestine.
Dereliction of duty three: large intestinal bacteria gluttony
There are many bacteria in the large intestine, as soon as they see lactose, their eyes glow, and they immediately rush to the front to eat a full meal, producing gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and short-chain fatty acids (acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, ketones, aldehydes, etc.).
Dereliction of duty four: intestinal peristalsis disorders
Too much gas makes the large intestine intestinal tract unbearable, and under the stimulation of gas and fatty acids, the intestines will expand, accelerate peristalsis, and make a "grunting" sound. Accumulating too much water can also lead to bloating, diarrhea, or cramps.
- Ends -
In fact, the degree and performance of lactose intolerance are not the same for most Chinese people, as long as they do not drink a lot of milk in a short period of time, the symptoms are usually not obvious.
It is recommended that lactose intolerant people drink milk in small quantities and times, starting from about 50 ml each time, which can greatly reduce the symptoms of bowel sounds, diarrhea and flatulence, and then slowly increase the amount after the intestinal tolerance is established, and gradually you can drink milk normally.
It is recommended to eat some starchy foods such as whole wheat bread and biscuits while drinking milk, or drink milk within 1 to 2 hours after a meal, which can "dilute" the lactose concentration and reduce the irritation to the intestine.
In addition, lactose intolerant people can choose yogurt or low-lactose, lactose-free milk products, and lactase can also be added to milk to mitigate the effects. At the same time, avoid the use of drugs that impair lactase activity, prohibit the abuse of antibiotics, timely treat intestinal primary disease, and promote intestinal epithelial cell repair and lactase activity recovery. ▲
Copyright notice: This article is the original of Life Times, and unauthorized reproduction is refused.