Studies on Lactose Digestibility

Gallagher et al. (1974) studied the effect of fermented dairy products (buttermilk, yogurt, and cottage cheese) on lactose tolerance and calcium absorption in three lactase-deficient subjects. Three diets (fermented dairy products, completely lactose-free diet, and nonfermented dairy products) were served in sequence for 4 d each. The three lactase-deficient patients tolerated the fermented dairy products without symptoms of lactose intolerance, whereas consumption of nonfermented dairy products 

Treatment Lactobacillus bulgaricus (1) Streptococcus thermophilus (2) Composite yogurt culture (1+2) 

A report from Sweden (Rasic and Kurmann, 1978) indicated that nine out of 11 lactose-intolerant individuals tolerated yogurt. Nichols (1978) administered acidophilus milk (5 ml/kg/d) to six lactase-deficient subjects. On the basis of hydrogen breath test results, it was concluded that Lactobacillus acidophilus did not promote additional lactose hydrolysis. However, the dose of microorganisms (2-4 x 10 /ml) used in this study is much lower than typical counts in fermented milk products. From the same laboratory (Gilliland and Kim, 1981), it was later reported that administration of acidophilus milk containing more natural numbers resulted in decreased breath hydrogen production by lactose-intolerant individuals. 

It has also been demonstrated that culture-containing dairy products, such as sweet acidophilus milk (Lactobacillus acidophilus cells added to unfermented milk and refrigerated), may be useful in the management of lactose intolerance. Kim and Gilliland (1983) investigated the effect of added Lactobacillus acidophilus cells of human origin on lactose utilization from milk by lactose malabsorbers. Three cell levels (2.5 x 10, 2.5 x 10, and 2.5 x 10 /ml) were used. The test subjects consumed 5 ml/kg 

Values represent means + 1 S.E.M. for ten subjects (Kolars et al. 1984. With permission). 

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