Diet, Genetics, and Lactose Intolerance

摘要

Seventy percent of the world's population are lactose maldigesters, but even those maldigesters who believe they are lactose intolerant can consume dairy products such as yogurt and lactose-hydrolyzed milk. Milk and milk products are the main source of calcium and an important source of protein and other nutrients in the American diet. Milk also is rich in the unique disaccharide lactose [4'-(β-D-galac-topyranoside)-D-glucopyranose], absorption of which first requires hydrolysis in the small intestine. The enzyme responsible for this hydrolysis is a brush-border β-galac-tosidase, commonly called lactase.