Lactose malabsorption and intolerance in Italians. Clinical implications

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Human Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder.
• Lactose malabsorption is a potential contributing factor to IBS symptoms.
• Dietary habits, such as milk consumption, may influence lactose malabsorption prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of lactose malabsorption in Italian IBS patients.
• To compare lactose malabsorption rates between IBS patients and healthy controls.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a lactose-free diet in managing IBS symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Hydrogen breath test was used to assess lactose malabsorption.
• Participants included 40 Italian IBS patients and 42 healthy controls.
• A four-month lactose-free diet intervention was implemented for IBS patients.

Main Results:

• A higher percentage of IBS patients were low milk consumers compared to controls.
• Lactose malabsorption was significantly more prevalent in IBS patients across different lactose loads.
• Malabsorption was more frequent in low milk consumers within the IBS group.
• A lactose-free diet led to symptom improvement in 52.5% of IBS patients.

Conclusions:

• Lactose malabsorption is common in Italian IBS patients, irrespective of milk intake.
• A lactose-free diet can be an effective treatment strategy for a significant portion of IBS patients.
• Further research into the interplay between IBS, lactose, and diet is warranted.