of the world's adults have reduced ability to digest lactose
people affected globally
of East Asian adults are lactose intolerant
Lactase persistence — the ability to digest milk as an adult — is actually the genetic mutation. Not the other way around.
Most mammals lose the ability to digest lactose after weaning. Humans who can digest it into adulthood carry a mutation that became common in populations with long histories of dairy farming — primarily Northern Europeans. For most of the world’s population, “lactose intolerance” is simply the biological norm.
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of East Asian adults are lactose intolerant — the highest rate globally
Hard cheeses like cheddar and parmesan contain almost no lactose
of prescription medications use lactose as a filler ingredient
You can develop lactose intolerance at any point in your life, even if dairy's been fine until now
That's roughly when the lactase persistence mutation first appeared in humans
Is often well-tolerated even by lactose intolerant people — the bacteria pre-digest the lactose
Lactose intolerance isn’t all-or-nothing. Most people with reduced lactase can still enjoy some dairy — the question is how much, and what kinds. Hard cheese? Usually fine. A bowl of ice cream? That’s where it gets interesting.
Most people fall somewhere in the middle.
