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Understanding what causes lactose intolerance can be the first step to a diagnosis.

Lactose intolerance occurs when an individual can no longer produce enough lactase to digest lactose, the predominant sugar found in milk and dairy products.

Lactase is an enzyme that is produced by the cells lining the small intestine. This enzyme’s role is to break down any ingested lactose into simpler forms that can then be easily digested. Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is not able to produce sufficient amounts of lactase.

While very few people produce no lactase at all, it can be possible to be born with lactose intolerance. This is caused by a mutation in the gene responsible for producing lactase and is very rare.

Most commonly, it is age that causes lactose intolerance. Simply put, the body produces less lactase as it ages, making it more difficult to digest the lactose in dairy and causing discomfort.

Another digestive disease can also be the cause of lactose intolerance. Some digestive ailments can destroy the lining of the small intestine, where lactase is produced, which results in secondary lactose intolerance.