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  • Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    How is Lactose Intolerance Related to Celiac Disease?

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Once the damaged villi and microvilli to grow back, and the gut heals, the sensitivity to lactose often disappears.

    How is Lactose Intolerance Related to Celiac Disease? - Many newly diagnosed celiacs cannot digest lactose for a while. Image: CC BY 2.0--Senado Federal
    Caption: Many newly diagnosed celiacs cannot digest lactose for a while. Image: CC BY 2.0--Senado Federal

    Celiac.com 03/12/2020 - Lactose intolerance is one of the most common food intolerances. Many people with celiac disease also have lactose intolerance, especially at the time they are first diagnosed.

    Lactose intolerance happens when the gut fails to produce enough lactase, and enzyme that breaks down the lactose sugar in milk. Lactose intolerance can be inherited, but it can also happen as people get older and their bodies produce less lactase. Studies consistently shows that only about one in three people worldwide can digest lactose beyond seven or eight years of age.

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    Celiacs who eat gluten can become lactose intolerant after the villi and microvilli in their small intestine become damaged, and can no longer intercept and break down lactose molecules. 

    However, most people recover on a gluten-free diet. Once the damaged villi and microvilli to grow back, and the gut heals, the sensitivity to lactose often disappears. This can take time.  In most people, full gut healing takes between six months and a year.

    In some cases the villi and microvilli damage can take up to two years to heal fully. In any case, once the gut heals, lactose intolerance issues should disappear.

    Also, most people who are lactose intolerant can eat goat and sheep products, such as milk, yogurt and cheeses, such as feta and pecorino Romano, without any problems. Many people with lactose intolerance can also consume raw, unpasteurized dairy without symptoms. 

    Links to Goat, Sheep, and Raw Cow Milk Products 



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    Guest Ute

    I have had celiacs for over 10 years (not sure since it only was diagnosed then) - Although I went on a gluten free diet I still had awful symptoms. Then I realized I could digest milk products and started to feel better once I stopped all milk products. Unfortunately I discovered that I already had some type of neuropathy which seems to be getting worse despite gluten and lactose free diet. I have terrible seasonal allergies that are getting worse. Anyone else have similar experiences?

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    Guest Greg
    I am 19 and three years ago I was diagnosed celiac, I had severe eczema all over yet the dermatologists took a biopsy and said it was not dermatitis, so they have provided me with cyclosporine its incredible cleared up my eczema straight away now I can eat milk products and fatty products and it doesn't flair up like it used to, however recently been having similar symptoms to that of gluten with cream, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, Thornton's chocolates and double cream but the doctors are reluctant to give me a lactose intolerant test, think they already think I'm using up enough of NHS money what with my gluten free products, it's interesting to have read that the two are interlinked perhaps I'll just stop eating lactose as well or go and get some of those Lactaid tablets!! Thanks for all your help!!

    I have been gluten free for two weeks and started feeling better right away. I have been eating ice cream and milk with a Lactaid pill and no problem until today when I ate some different ice cream than what I normally (Tillamook) ate, you guessed It BEN AND JERRY'S! I feel very bad...never again.

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    Guest Keesha

    These topics are so confusing but this heelped me get the job done.

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    Guest lynn
    OMG I had shingles last summer - got Prednisone. Felt energy for the first time in a decade! Shingles gone, mouth sores gone, happy, eat gluten free healthy just fine. Then, NOT ONE DOCTOR WILL GIVE ME PREDNISONE AGAIN? I'm "60"...not the drugie type: just want to have my immune system calm. Considering going to Mexico to get PREDNISONE to feel alive again. Any advice? I am miserable and fatigued 24/7. help.

    You need to get your adrenal glands checked. What you may need is cortisol, not prednisone. You don't want to be on prednisone if you can help it. It could destroy your adrenal glands over time! Get a saliva cortisol test. Or you can go to a Naturopath and ask for a saliva cortisol test. This is more accurate than a blood test, although for some reason MD's don't like to do saliva testing. You should also get your thyroid tested: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and thyroid antibodies.

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    Guest lynn
    My mom, sister, and 2 aunts have celiac disease. I am lactose intolerant but as long as I stay on that diet I do not have any symptoms. Recently I had a positive Lupus test which then came back negative the 2nd time. I asked my doctor to test me for celiac and he did but the blood test came back as I did not have it. I am cold all the time and my family feels these are signs of celiac and that many people get false test results. Has anyone else had this or similar experiences that can offer me some advice? I do not want to be causing hard to my body and have future effects from it, but I also don't want to go on an expensive diet if I don't have to. I am 35 and have been lactose intolerant since I was about 23. Thank you for any insight!

    If you are cold all the time you need to get your thyroid checked out. Get the following tests done: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and thyroid antibodies!

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    Guest adalaide taylor

    Posted

    I have had celiac disease for 1 year. I have dermatitis and it is just as bad as it was when I was diagnosed. What's up with that?

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    Guest Lou
    Wow. I learned so much from this site. Me, Celiac + Lactose Intolerant + Insomnia + Vegetarian. OMG WHAT'S LEFT TO EAT?

    Became "iron toxic" from eating ALL green. Afraid to eat anything. (no processed foods/canned foods/frozen foods). Any advice? Not one of 9 doctors asked me about diet! I must be my own doctor: most do not have a clue to the diet importance.

    The reason that doctors don't ask you about your diet very often is because they are not R.D.'s (Registered Dieticians). Often, the only nutrition related classes that they take in great detail are while they are getting their Bachelor's degree. Very little, if any, after that. Dr.'s are mainly taught to recognize symptoms and read results to diagnose problems. Most only know about diet related problems through their own studying or experience.

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    Guest Kristin N.

    Posted

    If you've gone totally gluten free, but are still experiencing a lot of the symptoms, I would definitely stop eating dairy for awhile as well. But maybe more than that, I think it's a good idea to go on a candida diet, or close to it, if you can handle that (at least eliminate/reduce dairy, sugars, processed foods for awhile). An unhealthy celiac body is an easy target for yeast production - and that can cause a lot of similar symptoms.....skin problems, headaches, mucus, fatigue, brain fog, etc.

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    Guest Leona

    I don't know my diagnosis, but my doctor suggested that I try a no lactose diet. It works a little. I might be eating food containing partly lactose. And hopefully I'm good with gluten. Alltogether comments are very useful.

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    Guest shawn

    I've been diagnosed with celiac for 3 months, now the severe stomach bloating, even after going on a lactose free diet, I don't know what else to do, I am very miserable...any suggestions?

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    Guest JUDY

    This helped me SO much. I have celiac for a year and now I believe (after reading the blogs) I have a dairy problem also!

    Thanks for the info.

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    Guest Rob
    I have been on a gluten-free diet for almost 3 years and it has not helped my celiac symptoms much. Until very recently, I was eating dairy products and thinking nothing of it. Well, I finally started taking a Lactaid tablet before consuming dairy and- voila!- much, much better now. Can't believe I suffered for so long without knowing I had become lactose intolerant due to the celiac.

    Best wishes to all gluten & lactose

    allergic folks out there. Don't give up HOPE!

    Mari, I too was recently diagnosed with celiac and now my bloating continues even with a 100% gluten free diet. I am experimenting with avoiding dairy with some success. What lactose aid are you taking to get this result?

    Thank you.

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    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

    >VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY JEFFERSON ADAMS

     


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