What to Know about Lacto for Lactose Intolerance, Plus 25 Places Dairy Can Hide*

Up to 50 million Americans have lactose intolerance, meaning they lack the ability to break down dairy sugar. If you count yourself among them, that can affect your ability to break down dairy foods like cheese and ice cream. When you don’t have enough enzymes to digest the dairy you eat, your body retains water in the gut, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms like occasional bloating and irregularity. That’s a surefire way to make that extra cheese pizza turn into an extra-annoying experience!

Thankfully, digestive enzyme supplements can offer support for lactose intolerance.* The most powerful lactose intolerance capsules from Enzymedica are Lacto™. This formula breaks down dairy-heavy meals.* Say “welcome back” to creamy fettuccine alfredo, four-cheese pizza and double scoops of rocky road! While fast-acting Lacto™ includes lactase for digesting lactose, it also includes protease for complete dairy digestion.* Protease, a protein-digesting enzyme, helps break down casein and dairy proteins, so that every part of the dairy product is easily digested.

In this article, we’ll explain how lactose intolerance pills like Lacto™ work, the differences between lactase deficiency and lactose intolerance – and some surprising places where dairy can hide in your meals. Read on to learn what you can do for your digestive happiness!

• Lacto™ contains maximum-strength dairy intolerance enzymes for lactose intolerance.*
• Lactose is the sugar found in dairy; lactase is the enzyme that breaks it down.
• Both lactase deficiency and lactose intolerance are common, but digestive enzyme supplements can help.*
• Symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, gas and discomfort.
• Lacto™ breaks down lactose (dairy sugar), casein (dairy protein), and dairy fats for complete meal digestion.*

What is Lacto™?

Lacto™ is a non-GMO digestive enzyme supplement for lactose intolerance.* It is made by Enzymedica, the #1 best-selling brand of digestive enzymes in America. The formula delivers maximum-strength dairy intolerance enzymes, so you can enjoy the foods you love with no gas, bloating or discomfort when you take Lacto™ daily with each meal.* Packed with powerful enzymes for dairy-heavy meals, Lacto™ breaks down lactose (dairy sugar), casein (dairy protein) and dairy fats for complete meal digestion.*   

What to Know about Lactose Intolerance and Lactase Deficiency

Lactase is the digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar found in dairy. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose; lactase deficiency is the shortage of that enzyme.

Many things can lead to lactase deficiencies, from age and genetics to being born without the ability to produce lactase. The root cause comes from a lack of this lactose-digesting enzyme in the gut. According to research, about 15% of people who have northern European heritage have a lactase deficiency. Up to 80% of Black and Latino adults and up to 100% of adults of Native American and Asian heritage may also be deficient in this enzyme.

Enzymes are designed to break down a specific kind of food or compound, so the more or less lactase we have, the better or worse we can digest lactose. This enzyme works by breaking down lactose, which is difficult to digest, and turning it into the sugar glucose, something easy to digest.

Lactose intolerance symptoms and lactase deficiency symptoms include gas, bloating and discomfort after eating foods that contain dairy.* While avoiding dairy is an option, it’s not the only one – especially if you do enjoy eating foods that contain butter, milk, cream, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Shop enzymes for lactose intolerance.

What are the Benefits of Lacto™?

Lacto™ is a non-GMO digestive enzyme supplement for lactose intolerance.* The maximum-strength dairy intolerance enzymes in this formula:

• Help you enjoy the foods you love for digestive happiness*
• No bloat, gas or discomfort*
• Breaks down dairy-heavy meals*
• Packed with powerful enzymes for dairy-heavy meals.
• Breaks down lactose (dairy sugar), casein (dairy protein) and dairy fats for complete meal digestion*
• Additional enzymes help digest the entire meal*
• With Thera-blend™ enzymes that are proven effective all the way through your digestive tract*

25 Surprising Foods You Think are Dairy-Free (But Might Not Be)

If you’re on a dairy-free diet, you already know that butter, cheese and milk are off-limits. But dairy in its various forms can be found in some foods that you might not suspect, from certain breads to chewing gum! Here’s a helpful list for you:

1. Alcohol, including beer
2. Breadcrumbs, breading and croutons
3. Breakfast cereal
4. Broths and stocks
5. Cakes, cookies and quick breads
6. Canned fish
7. Chewing gum
8. Chips and other snacks
9. Crackers
10. Eggs (prepared scrambled eggs)
11. Granola
12. Frozen and/or fried foods (including anything breaded)
13. Herb and spice blends
14. Margarine
15. Medications
16. Nut butters
17. Pesto
18. Processed meats, including lunch meat, hot dogs and sausages
19. Protein bars
20. Protein powder
21. Salad dressings
22. Seasoning packets
23. Sherbet (not sorbet)
24. Vegetarian meat substitutes
25. Yeast-leavened breads and rolls

What's inside Lacto™?

With the best enzymes for lactose intolerance, Lacto™ delivers maximum-strength dairy intolerance enzymes.*

The formula includes:

Here’s what each of those enzymes does:

• Lactase is the enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar in milk and dairy products.
• Amylase Thera-blend™ enzymes transform carbohydrates into sugar. Your body uses sugar (glucose) as energy. Without enough amylase enzymes, you could end up with undigested carbohydrates fermenting in your lower GI tract.
• Protease Thera-blend™ enzymes break down proteins, separating them into their building blogs (amino acids). This ensures complete dairy digestion.
• Glucoamylase is an enzyme that breaks down polysaccharides into easier-to-digest glucose units.*
• Maltase is an enzyme that breaks down maltose into glucose.*
• Lipase Thera-blend™ contains enzymes that work to break down dietary fat. They also assist your body with "unlocking" fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and K, plus omega-3 and other fatty acids.
• Cellulase Thera-blend™ contains enzymes that break down cellulose, or dietary fiber.* Cellulase is different from other enzymes; it comes from the microflora (good bacteria) found in your gut. Fiber is only found in plants.
• Alpha Galactosidase is key for the digestion of sugars, beans, grains, raw vegetables and other foods that may cause digestive discomfort.*
• Invertase is an enzyme that breaks sucrose into fructose and glucose.

What is Thera-blend and What Difference Does It Make?

Lacto™ -- like all digestive enzyme supplements from industry-leading Enzymedica --  includes Thera-blend™ enzymes that are proven effective all the way through your digestive tract.* Your GI tract is a diverse and active place, and the pH (acidity or alkalinity level) isn't the same all the way through.

Our Thera-blend technology makes sure that enzymes thrive in all of the pH levels of the GI tract.* For you, this means the enzymes can help break down food in the stomach, assist with nutrient absorption in the small intestine and support immune and whole-body health in the microbiome.*

How do I use Lacto™?

Lacto™ is easy to take whether you want to savor an ice cream cone on a hot summer day or accidentally eat something that contains cream. Take 1 capsule with each meal containing dairy. More may be taken as needed. For a gentler formula, try DairyAssist™.

Consult with a physician prior to use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications or have a medical condition.

Lacto™ is safe for long-term use (with no side effects) and is dairy-free and both vegan and kosher.

NOTE: Digestive enzyme supplements are not suited for individuals with allergies or celiac disease. Food allergies are immune reactions. A food intolerance is an enzyme deficiency. A dietary supplement such as Lacto™ works best for individuals with known food intolerance reactions or those looking to provide support for cross contamination when eating away from home.

Why Take Digestive Enzyme Supplements to Break Down Dairy

Digestive enzymes help break down food into nutrients. To convert food into nutrients that can be absorbed, your body needs sufficient supplies of those digestive enzymes – but sometimes we don’t have enough. That could be due to age, lifestyle or personal habits, an inherited genetic deficiency (like lactose intolerance) or simply overdoing it on occasion. Sometimes, your body needs a little help. That’s where digestive enzyme supplements come in. Whether you accidentally ate dairy or want to indulge, these enzymes have your back!

Digestive enzyme supplements are an all-natural way to assure you have sufficient amounts of the enzymes you need to break down your meals. They offer general support – as well as more targeted support if you have specific food intolerance(s), as is the case with Lacto™.*

How to Pick a Quality Enzyme Supplement

Whether you’re browsing online or standing in the aisle comparing labels, you might need some help as you decide what types of lactose intolerance enzymes you should buy. The secret is how active those enzymes are – not how many are included.

Enzymes are not weighed in metric units like milligrams or grams. Rather, they need to be measured based on their respective activity levels, using a certain set of purity, quality and identity of food ingredients standards established by the internationally accepted Food Chemical Codex.

As the industry leader in digestive enzymes for over 20 years, we always follow the Codex. We include a rating of each enzyme's activity levels on every label. Look at any of our products, and you'll see the "Supplement Facts" label. (Some cheaper lactose intolerance chewable enzymes don’t include all the enzymes we do – and they don’t measure in activity units!)

Use this table to compare the label to your needs if you're looking for a digestive enzyme supplement.

We make it easy by detailing which nutrients each type of enzyme can target and we also include enzymes to boost metabolism and the breakdown of an entire complete meal.

The Enzymedica Promise

Our mission has remained the same for over 20 years: We make great health easy for everyone! Enzymedica has been providing natural digestive health and wellness products of the highest quality and efficacy since day one. Our formulas are always developed to the same high standards, regardless of your particular needs or health goals. And we promise to always source the best ingredients available on our planet, each one accompanied by cutting-edge scientific research.

When it comes to overall wellness of your body, mind and spirit, digestion is key. At Enzymedica, the leading brand of digestive enzyme supplements in America, we offer exceptional solutions for natural digestive health and wellness. Every one of our products is uniquely formulated to be as effective as possible.

Enzymedica is a global leader in the field of enzymes. We are the most knowledgeable when it comes to enzymes because of our ground-breaking, independent research on enzymes and other natural components. We seek out the highest-quality ingredients at all times and never use artificial fillers or excipients. That's part of Enzymedica's promise to quality and efficacy.

Other Enzymedica Products You Might Like

In addition to Lacto™, we offer another formula for lactose intolerance.*

DairyAssist™ breaks down dairy sugar and protein.* Take DairyAssist™ daily with each meal to enjoy ice cream and cheese – no bloat or discomfort.* It contains dual-action, dairy intolerance enzymes that quickly break down both lactose (dairy sugar) and casein (dairy protein) for twice the digestive relief.* DairyAssist™ makes every part of dairy more easily digested.*

Here are a few of the various digestive enzyme formulas that we have available.

Digest Gold™ breaks down your biggest meals. Take daily with each meal to enjoy the foods you love and beat the bloat – with no gas or discomfort!* With bloat-busting, high-potency enzymes, Digest Gold™ is the gold standard for digestive enzymes, as proven by its ongoing status as the number one best-selling enzyme formula in the US for over 10 years and counting. With Thera-blend™ enzymes, it quickly breaks down carbs, fats, fiber and protein. Plus, it prevents that too-full feeling and converts food into fuel with ATPro™ for greater energy!*

Digest delivers full-range, everyday enzymes. This formula helps you enjoy the foods you love when taken daily with each meal. It eliminates bloat (for no gas or discomfort)! Digest effectively breaks down carbs, fats, fiber and protein. It speeds digestion and helps absorb nutrients. And it converts daily meals into all-day energy.

Digest Basic™ breaks down the simplest meals – so you can enjoy the foods you love.* Take it daily with each meal to ease bloat (for no gas or discomfort). These essential, easy-on-you enzymes gently and effectively break down fats, fiber, protein, carbs and hard-to-digest foods. Digest Basic prevents indigestion and converts food into vital energy.

Digest Spectrum™ breaks down all your problem foods.* It’s for all food intolerances!* Take daily with each meal for no gas or discomfort to enjoy the foods you love.* With enzymes for multiple food intolerances, this specialized, high-potency formula breaks down gluten, phenols, lactose and casein.* A repeat award winner, this formula relieves digestive discomfort from all major food intolerances.* Not sure which foods are causing your intolerance? Reach for Digest Spectrum.*

Now here's a look at our specialized formulas:  

Bean Assist™ breaks down gas-inducing foods.* When taken daily with each meal, you can enjoy the foods you love and stop gas. That means no bloat or discomfort! Ideal for the nights when chili, cabbage rolls or loaded burritos are on the menu. These fast-acting enzymes break down complex carbs in fiber-rich foods like beans, cabbage and broccoli.* The formula stops gas and bloating before it starts – and makes meals easier to digest.*

GlutenEase™ breaks down breads, pastas and grains.* Enjoy the foods you love with no bloat or discomfort. Take daily with each meal for gluten intolerance. This blend of powerful gluten-intolerance enzymes efficiently breaks down both gluten and casein. It also protects against hidden gluten in meals.*

GlutenEase™ Extra Strength offers double the digestive power for maximum potency to quickly break down foods with both gluten and casein.* It guards against hidden gluten in meals – with our most advanced gluten intolerance enzymes.

Lypo Gold™ breaks down fatty foods! Enjoy the foods you love and take it daily with each meal to relieve discomfort, for no gas or bloating.* These fat-digestion enzymes are keto-friendly.* They quickly break down all fatty foods, from healthy to greasy ones, along with protein and carbs. Whether you have a gallbladder and not, Lypo Gold has your back!

VeggieGest™ breaks down all vegetables – so you can enjoy the veggies you love! Take daily with each meal to prevent bloat for no gas or discomfort. This whole-food meal enzyme blend actively breaks down the complex carbs in vegetables, grains and legumes to enhance nutrient absorption. It’s great for vegetarian and vegan diets as well as any diet that’s rich in whole foods that are unprocessed.

Note: Digestive enzyme supplements are not suited for individuals with allergies or celiac disease. Food allergies are immune reactions. A food intolerance is an enzyme deficiency. A dietary supplement such as Digest Spectrum™ works best for individuals with known food intolerance reactions or those looking to provide support for cross contamination when eating away from home.

References

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/lactose-intolerance/

https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2002/0501/p1845.html