Lactase Pills and Lactose-Free Milk: Do You Need to Give Up Dairy?

You used to enjoy a latte or a bowl of ice cream without a second thought. Now there’s bloating, gas or a rush to the bathroom within a few hours.¹ Lactose intolerance can show up or get worse with age, and you may not need to give up dairy entirely.

Why it can change with age

Lactose is the natural sugar in milk. Your small intestine breaks it down with an enzyme called lactase. In many people, lactase levels drop with age, the most common cause of lactose intolerance.¹ Undigested lactose reaches the colon, where bacteria turn it into gas and fluid.¹

Lactose intolerance can also follow damage to the small intestine, such as from celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, some medicines, surgery or radiation.¹ In that case, treating the cause may let you tolerate lactose again.² Lactose intolerance isn’t the same as a milk allergy.¹

How much can you handle?

Many people with lactose intolerance can have some lactose. Research suggests many can have about 12 grams, the amount in a cup of milk, with no or mild symptoms.³ These tips may help:³

• Smaller amounts, spread through the day
• Milk with meals, not on an empty stomach
• Yogurt and hard cheeses such as cheddar or Swiss, which have less lactose
• Lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk products, which are just as nutritious³

Lactase pills and drops

Lactase tablets taken before dairy, or drops added to milk, break down lactose and can help some people.² Federal guidance suggests checking with your doctor before using them.² They don’t change how much lactase your body makes.²

Don’t lose your calcium

Cutting out dairy can mean too little calcium and vitamin D,³ which matters for bones after menopause. Other sources include canned salmon or sardines with bones, leafy greens, almonds, beans, calcium-set tofu and fortified foods.³ Our guides to calcium and vitamin D supplements and menopause and bones explain more.

When to look further

If symptoms are new, a doctor may suggest a breath test. Our article on lactose breath test results explains it, and our guide to gas relief covers related products.

Try: “Milk has started giving me gas and diarrhea. Could it be lactose intolerance, or should we check for something else?”

Bloated by Dinner includes a Belly Clock log and a Test-It list with a visit script. Use them to track dairy, timing and symptoms for two weeks. See the book.