A few hours ago, you downed a glass of milk or you finished
your favorite yogurt. You know the importance of calcium in your
diet to maintain strong bones and a healthy body. For many GenerAsians
that feeling of good health turns into a feeling of trying to
get to a restroom immediately. That feeling is called hypolactasia,
better known as lactose intolerance.
What is lactose intolerance? Lactose intolerance is a genetic
condition due to the reduced absorption of undigested lactose
in the small and large intestines. If you are lactose intolerant,
it means that your body produces less of the enzyme, lactase.
Our body needs lactase to digest the sugar in milk and other dairy
products.
When we were younger, many of us were able to tolerate
dairy products because of our lactase production. As we grow older,
we have less of the enzyme in our bodies and digesting milk becomes
more difficult and it leads to several uncomfortable symptoms.
The most common symptoms are upset stomach, excess gas and diarrhea.
These symptoms are what over 90% of GenerAsians have encountered
from time to time. Serious symptoms include vomiting, in which
case it is recommended that you see your doctor immediately.
Results of studies by physical anthropologists on lactose
intolerance have shown that the countries that have the most cases
of lactose intolerance are the Eastern Asian. In these areas,
90-100% of the population has lactose intolerant due to an absence
of milk consumption.
According to the August/September 1998 issue of A. Magazine,
"Among adults of northern European ancestry, 95 percent retain
their childhood ability to digest lactose. Among Asians, however,
less than 10 percent can. Some populations are virtually 100 percent
lactose intolerant." Wow! This column is about "world groove"
but that is not the groove we want the world to be experiencing.
I just had to test these results and see if it's true.
Are the Asian Americans really experiencing lactose intolerance?
I took an informal poll of 100 Asians. Out of these 100 people,
91 said they have suffered from lactose intolerance. A few interesting
facts I discovered during the polling process were that many of
those who were lactose intolerant were people who don't regularly
drink milk or consume dairy products. Many were relieved to know
that this problem affects many Asian Americans and they weren't
facing this problem alone. In addition, a few individuals have
experienced tremendous stress fearing that they may be seriously
ill.
Fortunately, for those who are lactose intolerant, there
are products that will make our lives a lot easier. May it be
pills or lactose-free ice cream, we look forward to the future
when we eat ice cream or a slice of pizza and not having to worry
in going to the bathroom afterwards.
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More articles
by Dennis A. Amith
