Lactose Free Protein Powder

About Lactose Free Protein Powder

Lactose is a low glycemic index disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose. This natural sugar is found in milk and some milk products, which around 65% of people have difficulty digesting. This is due to the fact that lactase is produced in larger quantities during infancy to digest the lactose in breast milk. Lactase synthesis reduces after this life stage when milk is not the primary source of nourishment.

Lactose intolerance is quite a common digestive condition that can result in diarrhoea, flatulence, bloating and abdominal pain. Lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system like an allergy, but is instead caused by an inability to digest milk sugar. Though people with lactose intolerant can consume some lactose without symptoms, once tolerance is exceeded signs and symptoms develop. Depending on how sensitive you are to lactose, you should be able to consume somewhere between a small quantity to sometimes more than ten grams without symptoms.

There is a massive range of lactose-free protein powders available, such as brown rice, pea, egg and even a lactose-free whey protein powder. This types of protein powders are just as potent as higher lactose content supplements, as the absence of lactose does not affect the bioavailability of the amino acids. In fact, removing the lactose will likely increase bioavailability for the lactose intolerant. It is also reasonable to conclude that the bioavailability of protein powders will differ from person to person, depending on that individual's ability to digest and immunologically "accept" the protein chains present therein.

As with most things in life, experimentation is necessary to ascertain the best course of action for you, as the unique individual you are. If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance, it might be worth giving a lactose free protein powder a go in addition to removing all lactose from the diet for a trial period of a couple of weeks. If your digestive issues improve, yet worsen with the introduction of lactose, this may be an indication that you are lactose intolerant and will benefit from lactose free protein powders.