by Angela V 
Do you feel bloated, have abdominal discomfort, diarrhea or nausea after drinking milk? If you experience any or all of these symptoms after consuming milk and milk products then you may be lactose intolerant.
I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance a few years ago but suffered from it most of my adult life without being able to pinpoint what was wrong. The bloating and discomfort I experienced was unbearable at times and I didn’t know what was wrong with me. In my case, blood and breath tests to determine if I was lactose intolerant weren’t clear so I had a hard time realizing I even had the condition.
According to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, the simplest and most reliable way of diagnosing lactose intolerance is to remove all lactose-containing products from your diet for one to two weeks. If your symptoms disappear completely then a lactose-free diet should be maintained. After drinking only lactose-free milk and consuming no other milk products for two weeks, I finally realized that I needed a change in my diet because my body lacked the enzyme to break down the lactose.
I wish I would have known about this simple at-home test years ago. Today I am grateful to know that the condition can be easily controlled by simple dietary adjustments and that I can still enjoy the drinks and meals that I love. Natrel Lactose-Free Milk allows me to enjoy great tasting milk (no sweet aftertaste!) without discomfort, plus all the calcium, vitamins A and D and proteins I need.
If you suffer from abdominal discomfort after drinking milk or milk products, then be sure to try the two-week test at home to help determine if you have lactose intolerance. If you do have lactose intolerance then look for Natrel Lactose Free milk on your next shopping trip; you will love the natural taste.
Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Natrel via Glam Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Natrel.
41 Comments on “How Do You Know If You Have Lactose Intolerance? Find out Now {Health}”
September 25- Thank you for telling us about the symptoms of lactose intolerance. I think this intolerance is more common than people know. One of my dsughters found out a few years ago that she suffered from this condition. One of my granddaughters cried increasingly each day as an infant, until she was given soy milk and the crying stopped. Her child, in turn, had severe allergies to milk and regular soy milk for over a year. This is very distressing for new mothers. Their babies, if they are nursing, may be allergic to the milk proteins in the mothers breast milk if they themselves have been allergic to milk as newborns. This was the case for my granddaughter and she stopped nursing because of the severe reaction. Knowledge of these symtoms is invaluable if you are allergic to milk.-el03ro
Thanks for sharing Elva 🙂
Great info!
Thanks for posting this.
You’re very welcome!
Another thing to consider, if you find yourself intolerant to “traditional” dairy products, would be to question if it is the dairy itself or the process that dairy goes through when it is homogenized and pasteurized. There are those who do not tolerate pasteurized, homogenized dairy products, who do not experience their symptoms when they consume raw and/or cultured dairy products. You can read more about the benefits and risks of raw milk at the Real Milk website (http://realmilk.com/what.html), and more about cultured dairy products at websites such as Nourished Kitchen (http://nourishedkitchen.com/cultured-dairy-foods/). I’m not trying to negate the fact that there are those who truly can’t tolerate dairy in any form, but I did want to at least point out that some folks ARE able to consume it in forms other than the modern, overprocessed product we see on supermarket shelves.
I don’t have lactose intolerance, but my dad and sis do…not too extreme, but they do need to take lactaid before icecream. One question I have is can a person become lactose intolerant after not having issues with dairy?
Amy, yes it happens. I didn’t have any issues as a child but developed it as an adult.
My friend had cancer symptoms when all along it Lactose Intolerant
oh wow Stephanie! Glad it was just lactose intolerance!
Thanks for the info, my friend has lactose intolerance
You’re Welcome!
I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED HOW YOU TELL IF YOU ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT. MY YOUNGER BROTHER IS, WE THINK, BUT HE JUST SAID EVERYTIME HE DRANK MILK OR ESPECIALLY IF HE ATE ICE CREAM HE WOULD BECOME VERY ILL, SOMETIMES FOR A COUPLE DAYS SO HE JUST NATURALLY BEGAN AVOIDING THESE THINGS. HE HAS NEVER BEEN DIAGNOSED BUT SAYS HE FEELS BETTER JUST AVOIDING THEM.
Thanks, great article
Thanks so much Angela, I think Lactose Intolerance is more common than we realize!
This is such a tricky one for me! I experience mild symptoms after drinking SOME kinds of milk – while in South America, I could drink any milk and eat any kind of milk products without any problems.. but in North America, I find I can’t have too much ice cream and such, or else I will get a stomach ache…
Great info–thanks for sharing!
I will suggest this to my brother in law, he is always complaining
great info
I love the Natrel Lactose-Free milk – it is by far and away the best lactose-free milk on the market. My hubby is lactose intolerant and when I tried it I couldn’t tell it was any different than regular milk which is great!
Good information!! Thanks for sharing it!
I suffered most of my life being lactose intolerant and I mean suffered. If was a few years ago when I was visiting my sister that my brother-in-law was taking a Lactaid pill before he ate a piece of cheesecake and he told me to take a pill also. I had none of the usual symptoms that I usually get from the cheese. Now I drink lactose free milk only and I do take the Lactaid pills with me at all times.
Interesting. I have no issues with dairy products but i will definately be watching for these signs with my kids.
My fiancé is lactose intolerant, and we recently just figured out that my 4 year old is as well.
Two of my daughters are lactose intolerant. We were lucky and had them both diagnosed when they were quite young, so its all they’ve ever known!
thanks
Thanks for the infor – must admit I never drink milk as I don’t like the taste
My husband is lactose intolerant, but in the last couple of years it hasn’t been too bad and he doesn’t need to take any pills to enjoy ice cream or milk. Our family doctor told him that the lactose intolerance does come and go in various degree. So if you’re lactose intolerant now, you might be less so years from now.
I have never liked milk, even as a young child. I always felt bad after eating cold cereal with milk. I think our bodies are pretty good indicators of giving us messages. Thank you for sharing.
great info thanks for posting!
I had actually never heard of this until my son (as a teenager) was diagnosed. He now has to take tablets if he wants to eat anything with milk products in it. The labels I’ve read! I had no idea that Lactose was in so many products. It was fun at the butcher’s finding out which sausages contained it. One daughter became lactose intolerant during & after her first pregnancy. During and after her 2nd she was surprisingly no longer intolerant.
My special needs grandson that my daughter adopted is also lactose intolerant. I have to make sure and follow his special diet when he stays at the house with us.
That is a really simple test. Good to know.
I gave up dairy about a year and half ago because my daughter had a suspected dairy allergy and I was breastfeeding. It was interesting to learn how many foods had dairy that I didn’t expect- had to switch brands for bread, waffles, bread crumbs, etc. Accidentally had something with dairy after months and months of being without, and I felt pretty awful; then my husband recalled how I used to have stomach aches every single day. He thought I had just stopped complaining lol, but turned out they went away once I gave up the dairy. So I guess it’s not just my daughter, and I’m sticking with it!
Thanks for the info…my adult son is lactose intolerant and I am just now understanding how I can help him. Great article.
I believe this aliment is more common than everyone thinks, I know of several people who are lactose intolerant just like me
My son was diagnose several years ago, he was about 16 at the time. It took a long time for the Drs to find out what was causing the problem. Now he watches his food intake and takes tablets when needed. One of my daugters was lactose intolerant, which fist appeared during her first pregnany – and stayed with her until she was pregnant again! So far it’s stayed away :-
My niece just found out her little one is lactose intolerant and has to stay away from products that contain gluten
The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be very painful
Thanks for the tips
I shared these tips with my friend who has been having problems with those products
Mydaughter never had a problem but now an adult she is lactose intolerance.