MILK-FAT DOES NOT AFFECT THE SYMPTOMS OF LACTOSE-INTOLERANCE

Objective: This study investigated the role of the fat content of milk on symptoms of lactose intolerance. Design: Subjects recorded intoler ance symptoms using a visual analogue scale (VAS) following ingestion of three test milks of varying fat content for a two-day period. Subje cts/Setting: The subjects were thirty adult volunteers, patients of tw o Estonian out-patient clinics with diagnosed lactose intolerance. The study milks were drunk at home or at work. All thirty subjects comple ted the study protocol. Intervention: Each subject drank, in random or der, fat-free milk (4.9% lactose), high-fat milk (8% fat, 4.9% lactose ), and a lactose-free and fat-free control milk. They drank 200 mi of the milk twice a day for two days, one milk type per session, with fiv e days between sessions. The subjects noted their gastrointestinal sym ptoms during the test periods and during a 5 d milk-free period at the beginning of the study. The occurrence and severity of symptoms were compared. A global measure of the severity of symptoms was defined by computing the sum of the symptom scores. Results: The sum of symptoms was higher during all milk periods than during the milk-free period (P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the o ccurrence or severity of symptoms during the fat-free milk period comp ared with the high-fat milk period. Conclusions: Even a marked differe nce in the fat content of milk did not affect the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Consequently, there seems to be no case for recommending full-fat milk products in the treatment of lactose intolerance.