what happens in the large intestine during lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is the inability to break down a type of natural sugar called lactose. Lactose is commonly found in dairy products, such as milk and yogurt. A person becomes lactose intolerant when his or her small intestine stops making enough of the enzyme lactase to digest and break down the lactose. When this happens, the undigested lactose moves into the large intestine. The bacteria that are normally present in the large intestine interact with the undigested lactose and cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. The condition may also be called lactase deficiency.