Resources Definitions Lactose is the natural sugar in milk. Lactase is an intestinal enzyme that digests milk sugar into simpler sugars that can be absorbed into the blood.
Enzymes are proteins found in all plants and animal cells.
They help start and keep chemical reactions going. Lactose Maldigestion means that there is not enough lactase enzyme to digest lactose. This inherited genetic trait most commonly begins to appear in adolescence and early adulthood. Lactase production decreases as a normal part of weaning and aging, and happens to a varying degree in different individuals. Some ability to produce lactase generally remains.