Enzymes and digestive system - lactose intolerant?The topic: Enzymes are used as pharmaceutical supplements to treat digestive system disorders such as celiac disease and lactose intolerance
For those that are lactose intolerant, the enzyme in which are being used are lactase right?
Why are they used? Like are they more efficient, have higher yields etc?
What was used before digestive enzymes and what are their impact on society?
Posted by Jason W
People with lactose intolerance produce no/little lactase to break down the lactose, and this is an evolutionary thing. Usually infants drink milk until a certain age and then stop, so to save energy lactase is not made once the infant no longer needs it. However since we developed agriculture we now drink cows milk as aldults and so we need lactase but most people dont make it (although it may not seem it, most people in the eastern world are lactose intolerant)
As lactose is not broekn down it messes with the osmotic potential of water in the intestines and causes water to not be uptaken, this gives diarrhoea and dehrydration. The enzymes that the patient is treated with breaks down this lactose into glucose and (cant remember the other one :P) and restores osmotic potential. Before this treatment if you were lactose intolerant you just stayed away from milk
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