Lactose Intolerance

[sssmith1]

I was lactose Intolerant when I initially came down with Celiac Disease. I was fine after going on a gluten-free diet. Now, a year later I have been sick multiple times after I ate some form of dairy product. Is it possible for the lactose intolerance to resurface even after going on a gluten free diet?

[kehaulani]

hi! i don't know if i can answer your question but i found some interesting information about lactose intolerance. i am also lactose intolerant and was diagnosed with celiac disease about 2 months ago and have been on a gluten free diet for about 3 months. i read in a book (Living Gluten-free for Dummies) that the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, is found on the tips of the villi in our small intestine. so after being on a gluten free diet and your villi heal, you are most likely able to tolerate dairy products again. is it possible that you may have accidently ate gluten (maybe cross-contamination)? becasue a small amount of gluten in your body may have caused an attack on just the tips of your villi, thus causing the lactase enzyme to be destroyed and causing your lactose intolerance again. this may not be the case, but you never know!

[psawyer]

Many people with celiac disease develop other food intolerances. Lactose intolerance is usually temporary, as kehaulani noted.

You may have developed an intolerance to casein, which is the protein in milk. This is the most common intolerance in celiacs after gluten. If you are casein intolerant, you must avoid all dairy products, even those which have little or no lactose. Casein is more difficult than gluten to avoid completely, as it shows up in places you would not expect, and is not always obvious in the ingredients.

I tolerate casein myself, so I am not that knowledgeable in this area, but there are a number of board members who could offer more insight.

[sssmith1]

  psawyer said:

Many people with celiac disease develop other food intolerances. Lactose intolerance is usually temporary, as kehaulani noted.

You may have developed an intolerance to casein, which is the protein in milk. This is the most common intolerance in celiacs after gluten. If you are casein intolerant, you must avoid all dairy products, even those which have little or no lactose. Casein is more difficult than gluten to avoid completely, as it shows up in places you would not expect, and is not always obvious in the ingredients.

I tolerate casein myself, so I am not that knowledgeable in this area, but there are a number of board members who could offer more insight.

Thank for your insight. Both were very helpful. I will definitely look into this.