Lactose intolerance, what it is and how it is diagnosed and the differences with allergy

There are two cases in which milk and dairy products must be eliminated or limited from the diet. The first concerns people who have developed an allergy to milk proteins, the other concerns those who suffer from lactose intolerance. According to EFSA, milk protein allergy in Italy does not affect more than 1% of the population, while it is more difficult to estimate how many people are lactose intolerant because the diagnosis is less precise.

There is a natural tendency to lactase deficiency, also due to evolutionary reasons: it would have evolved to ensure the survival of the newborns by ensuring them nourishment; the development of intolerance in older children meant that there was no competition between siblings for milk.

…