Bloating and pain after eating. How to tell if you are lactose or fructose intolerant: a simple test at home

Bloating, spasms and stool disorders often occur due to intolerance to milk or fruit. Russian doctor Maxim Kuznetsov told how to check the body's reaction to lactose and fructose, writes sb.by.

For this, the method of sequential exclusion and return of products is used. At the first stage, for one to two weeks, high-fructose foods are removed from the diet: apples, pears, mangoes, watermelons, honey and dried fruits.

When the work of the intestine stabilizes, they proceed to the second step - the gradual return of products to determine the individual tolerance threshold.

- As a test product, you can take, for example, mango, explains Maxim Kuznetsov. On the first day, we eat a third of the fetus and during the day we monitor the reaction: whether there is bloating, abdominal pain or stool disturbance. On the second day, we take a break, remaining on the restriction. If there are no symptoms, on the third day we eat half the mango, and on the fifth day we eat the whole fruit.

If at some stage there is discomfort, the test is stopped. This means that the tolerance limit has been reached.

The whole mango is overloaded, and a third or half is absorbed well. So, the individual portion is determined, the doctor notes. After that, the intestines are given a rest for several days and the next product with a high fructose content is tested according to the same scheme - for example, an apple or a pear. It is possible to assess the body's reaction to lactose using a simple gastrotest, but it should be carried out with caution.

Start with a small portion – drink half a glass of milk (about 100 ml) during or after a light meal. If within 1-2 hours you experience discomfort, bloating, rumbling or loose stools, this indicates a deficiency of the lactase enzyme. If there are no symptoms, after 2-3 days you can try a standard serving of 200 ml. Comfortable absorption of moderate amounts of milk means your enzyme system is coping with lactose, but the body has an individual sensitivity threshold.

According to the doctor, lactose intolerance is divided into two main types:

1. Primary. This is a genetically determined feature in which the production of the enzyme decreases with age. It is impossible to change this process. In this case, a person will really have to control the amount of whole milk in the diet or completely switch to lactose-free products.

2. Secondary (acquired). It develops against the background of damage to the mucous membrane of the small intestine - for example, after intestinal infections, with exacerbation of inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or excessive bacterial growth. Such intolerance is temporary: after the restoration of the mucous membrane and the elimination of the root cause, the ability to absorb milk usually returns.

Important: A home test does not replace clinical diagnosis. If discomfort in the abdomen and stool disorders have become regular, it is necessary to contact a gastroenterologist for examination and exclusion of hidden pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. Swelling in the morning? The expert named five products that retain water in the body