The Use Of Probiotics As Adjuvante Therapy In The Treatment Of Lactose Intolerance A Narrative Review

Abstract

Lactose intolerance, an adverse food reaction due to the enzymatic deficiency of lactase, is considered a very important affection worldwide due to its high prevalence. The body's response to lactose intolerance is due to its inability to absorb lactose, so that the difficulty of lactose absorption occurs in three different ways: congenital, primary and secondary. The main symptoms presented by patients of lactose intolerance are abdominal pain and distention, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, borborygmo and constipation. The treatment of lactose intolerance should be established soon after the diagnosis, as well as according to the degree of intolerance. Restricting the patient's intake of milk and its derivatives is sufficient to control the symptoms caused, however, by decreasing the quality of life of the patient, this is not the definitive treatment. The use of probiotics is of great importance in the treatment of patients with lactose intolerance, since it contributes to the reduction of symptoms and regulation of the intestinal flora. This narrative review aimed to identify the importance of the use of probiotics as adjuvants in the treatment of patients with lactose intolerance. Therefore, it was concluded with the study that it is essential that the multiprofessional health team to seek more knowledge about the disease so that its performance should be more competent in the intervention and monitoring of nutritional measures, guaranteeing the use of a variety of foods that can bring the necessary nutritional subsidy of vitamins and minerals considering that the low food with lactose intake may cause some kind of nutritional deficiency, in addition to the use of probiotics in order to decrease symptoms and regulate the intestinal flora, allowing the patient´s life and health quality.