While it’s not life-threatening, lactose intolerance can cause discomfort and embarrassment. Lactose intolerance is where your body cannot properly digest lactose, a sugar found in milk products. Lactase is the enzyme needed in order to break down lactose. With lactose intolerance, not enough of this essential enzyme is being produced in the small intestine. Individuals with low lactase production find it difficult to digest lactose.

Our Private Lactose Intolerance Test is a quick, easy and accurate way to check if you are lactose intolerant. A Lactose Intolerance Test can be booked as an individual test or added to one of our existing full body health MOTs.

Explore our packages and book your Private Lactose Intolerance Test online today.

1. Select and book your package

View our health test packages and book a full body private health check. All our individual tests can be added to any of our private health check packages. Just call our team on 0800 652 2183 before your appointment to add an extra test.

2. Make an appointment

Choose the venue, date and time that suits you. With over 2000 appointments available nationwide every week, you're sure to find a convenient time, date and venue.

3. Attend your appointment

A trained healthcare professional will carry out your assessment. The whole process only takes around 20 - 30 minutes.

4. Fast, accurate results

Your results will be available 24/7 through our online dashboard, My Wellness. You will receive an email notification as soon as your results are ready for viewing. Processing times vary by test, with some results accessible on the dashboard in as little as three days. The online dashboard also provides easy access to a downloadable PDF, making it simple to share your results with your GP.

Lactose intolerance symptoms

If you think you may be lactose intolerant, it is helpful to learn the dairy intolerance symptoms in adults. Symptoms usually present anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours after eating or drinking something containing lactose.

However, symptoms could appear within 12 hours after consuming lactose. The severity of your dairy intolerance symptoms depends on how much lactose you’ve consumed.

Here are the most common lactose intolerance symptoms:

• Feeling nauseous
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Abdominal cramps or pain
• Stomach rumbling
• Diarrhoea
• Flatulence or excessive wind
• Aching joints and muscles
• Tiredness

Causes of lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance can be a temporary or a long-term condition, depending on the cause. Most commonly, primary lactose intolerance is a result of genetics. A gene mutation can affect the production of the enzyme lactase that is needed to break down lactose. If an individual is deficient in lactase, then they will encounter difficulties in digesting foods and drinks containing lactose. This form of lactose intolerance develops shortly after childhood as lactase levels reduce.

Secondary lactose intolerance often resolves itself over time and is caused by damage to the digestive system due to illness. Health conditions such as gastroenteritis and inflammatory bowel disease can bring on secondary lactose intolerance. These lactose intolerance symptoms usually disappear once you have recovered from the gastrointestinal issues.

Can you develop lactose intolerance suddenly?

It is not uncommon for lactose intolerance to suddenly develop in adulthood. Secondary lactose intolerance is caused by damage or illness of the gut lining. Damage to the gut lining affects the production of lactase, which is necessary for breaking down lactose. Due to this low level of lactase production, individuals will experience difficulty digesting foods and drinks containing lactose.

Gastroenteritis or any other health condition that irritates the gut can lead to the development of lactose intolerance. Fortunately, this form of lactose intolerance is usually temporary as long as the gastrointestinal issue is resolved and the damage heals.

The main difference between primary and secondary lactose intolerance is that primary lactose intolerance is a long-term genetic deficiency in producing the enzyme lactase. Whereas secondary lactose intolerance is temporary and caused by a period of gastrointestinal illness or injury.

What happens if you ignore lactose intolerance?

Ignoring lactose intolerance symptoms and continuing to consume lactose can lead to the condition increasing in severity. Not receiving proper lactose intolerance treatment can affect overall health and quality of life.

The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be uncomfortable and may lead to ongoing discomfort and occasional embarrassment. Ignoring these symptoms can significantly affect your quality of life and mood, highlighting the importance of addressing lactose intolerance for overall well-being.

In addition, lactose intolerance symptoms, in particular chronic diarrhoea, can lead to malnutrition, weight loss and anaemia. If ignored, lactose intolerance can affect digestion and absorption of essential nutrients needed for many bodily functions.

On the other hand, avoiding dairy products can reduce your calcium intake. Following a well-planned lactose intolerance diet that includes non-dairy sources of calcium is important to avoid becoming calcium deficient. Individuals deficient in calcium run the risk of affecting their bone health and developing osteoporosis. Therefore, testing for lactose intolerance and managing your condition correctly could greatly benefit your overall health and wellbeing.

Lactose intolerance foods to avoid

If you are lactose intolerant and just beginning to make the necessary dietary changes, it is difficult to know the foods to avoid and which alternatives to choose. Here is a list of common high-lactose foods to avoid if you are following a lactose intolerance diet:

• Milk
• Whipped cream
• Ice cream
• Condensed or evaporated milk
• Sour cream
• Cottage cheese
• Ricotta
• Soft cheese spreads
• Buttermilk

However, those with lactose intolerance may tolerate some dairy products due to having lower levels of lactose. Foods such as kefir and certain types of yoghurt contain beneficial bacteria that aid the digestion of lactose. Hard or aged cheeses can also be tolerated as they contain relatively low amounts of lactose.

In addition, it is recommended that you start checking processed or pre-prepared foods for lactose, as these can contain surprisingly high levels. Foods to look out for include:

• Ready meals
• Instant mashed potato
• Soups, sauces and gravies
• Bread and other baked goods
• Desserts
• Creamed vegetables
• Cake mixes
• Breakfast cereals
• Instant coffee
• Flavoured crisps

Lactose-free alternatives to opt for to ensure that you are not reducing your calcium intake include:

• Soy, almond, hemp and oat milk alternatives
• Lactose-free yoghurts
• Tofu
• Green leafy vegetables (a good source of calcium)
• Sardines and pilchards (with bones are high in calcium)
• Seeds (poppyseeds and sesame seeds are rich in calcium)
• Almonds (a good source of calcium)

Can lactose intolerance go away?

In the case of secondary lactose intolerance, once the underlying gastrointestinal issue is resolved, the lactose intolerance symptoms will disappear. Depending on the amount of damage to the gut lining, the recovery may take some time. After this, you may no longer experience lactose intolerance.

For primary lactose intolerance sufferers, the cause is genetic due to an inability to produce the enzyme lactase. The possibility of being able to produce lactase naturally again is improbable. However, positive changes to your microbiome and intestinal health may improve your tolerance to lactose, enabling you to follow a more flexible diet.

How to test for lactose intolerance

In order to successfully manage lactose intolerance, accurate testing for lactose intolerance is advisable. Our private Lactose Intolerance Test is a stool acidity analysis. This test measures the acidity level in the stool, providing valuable insights into lactose digestion and tolerance.

Booking a Private Lactose Intolerance Test with a Complete Health MOT gives you access to a medical consultation to discuss your comprehensive Results Report. Once you have a better understanding of your lactose intolerance diagnosis, you can take steps to manage the condition and enjoy food without feeling discomfort.

Private lactose intolerance testing for complete peace of mind

Our Lactose Intolerance Tests are designed for busy people who want to take control of their health. Our tests are quick, accurate, convenient and completely stress-free. No waiting for an appointment, no invasive procedures, no embarrassing questions, no long travel times and no busy waiting rooms.

Trained healthcare professionals carry out all tests in over 350 venues across the UK and Ireland, so you get accurate professional health checks within 20 minutes of your home. Our private health checks include all the tests you need to take a proactive approach to monitoring and improving your health.

A Private Lactose Intolerance Test can be booked as an individual test or alongside our existing MOTs.

BOOK NOW Need help? Call free on 0800 652 2183 to speak to one of our team.