Lactose - What Is Lactose - What Is Lactose Intolerance

In this video we look at what is lactose, what is lactose intolerance, and how is lactose digested in the body.

Transcript (partial)

Lactose is a simple carbohydrate, or what is called a disaccharide. It is made up of a glucose molecule joined with a galactose molecule. It is found mainly in milk, cheese, yogurt and sour cream, however it is sometimes added to baked goods and salad dressings.

After we eat foods that contain lactose our body has to digest and absorb it. Virtually no digestion of lactose takes place in the mouth, stomach or first part of the small intestine. Digestion of lactose takes place within the microvilli in the upper small intestine.

In the small intestine, there are tiny finger like projections called villi. These villi consist of hundreds of intestinal cells called enterocytes, which are covered with projections called microvilli. In this microvilli is an enzyme called lactase. This fella has one job, to break apart lactose into glucose and galactose. Once mr. lactase has done his job, glucose and galactose can be absorbed into the enterocyte and sent to the liver.

The liver will send glucose to cells to use as energy, store it as glycogen or store it as fat. Galactose is converted to glucose and then follows the same pathway as just mentioned.

So, now, what is lactose intolerant? In many people lactose intolerance occurs with age, as the small intestine makes less lactase. As this happens, the small intestine does not digest lactose, so it enters the large intestine undigested. In the large intestine, lactose is fermented, or broken down by bacteria, which releases a lot of gas causing cramping, flatulence and diarrhea.

It is estimated that about 65% of people suffer from lactose intolerance.
And that be the basics on lactose and lactose intolerance.

Timestamps
0:00 What is lactose and the structure of lactose
0:20 How is lactose digested?
1:07 What is lactose intolerance?

[mckenna]

This is actually an excellent video. I will recommend it to my future patients who are curious about the issue.

[xilliam]

perfect video to answer my late night curiosity

[Justin-ronf]

Thanks for answering my question. Sweet and simple all the way to what the liver does. sense am trying to lose weight. Was just trying to see if the lactose sugar is a Enemy

[ashishchauhan]

Hiii can u make video on brown rice vs white rice ?

[loganmargison]

I was lactose intolerant when I was a baby, but now I don't have it anymore!.

[loukasmeadows]

My biology teacher made me watch this.

[bb-ldnq]

im so sad :( I need to be harder on myself. I cant eat lactose, I also have alergy on kasein (im not sure its called kasein in english, its the protein), also gluten and wheat alergy.Im was slowly killing myself everyday :( In in so much pain

[meravsiani]

We want to use this video in order to enrich the knowledge of high school students.
We would like to ask for your permission to translate into Hebrew and post your video from your You-Tube channel.
is it possible?

[h.l.asolomonov]

33 of suffering asking me about it and one lead to other just stop dairy

[slap_A_flamingo]

Lactose is one of the things I have no tolerance for!

[serlysworld]

I already know what is like to be a lactos intolarant and its horrible and actually my stomache hurts right now from craving milk and drinking it so yay I love being lactos intolarant its the best jk

[stoopkid]

Well mrs lactase isnt doing it job in my tummy 😕