Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 11, Issue 2 168-171, Copyright © 1992 by American College of Nutrition

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Effects of yogurt and fermented-then-pasteurized milk on lactose absorption in an institutionalized elderly group

G. Varela-Moreiras, J. M. Antoine, B. Ruiz-Roso and G. Varela
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.

In the present study we evaluated lactose malabsorption (LM) after ingestion of three dairy products in 53 healthy institutionalized elderly people. A preliminary screening with milk (250 ml, 11 g lactose) was carried out to select the LM subjects using the H2 breath test. The effect of consuming an equivalent amount of lactose contained in yogurt and fermented-then-pasteurized milk (FPM) was then assessed in LM subjects. Results indicated that 36% of the elderly population studied was considered as LM and that breath H2 excretion was significantly higher after ingestion of milk than after ingestion of yogurt. This beneficial effect was partially eliminated when FPM was tested. Moreover, breath H2 excretion was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) 3 hours after ingestion of FPM compared to the normal yogurt. These results demonstrate a high prevalence of LM in the elderly and confirm the positive effect of yogurt on lactose absorption, whereas pasteurized yogurt did not cause the same effect.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H S Gill and F Guarner Probiotics and human health: a clinical perspective Postgrad. Med. J., September 1, 2004; 80(947): 516 - 526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Drouault, J. Anba, and G. Corthier Streptococcus thermophilus Is Able To Produce a {beta}-Galactosidase Active during Its Transit in the Digestive Tract of Germ-Free Mice Appl. Envir. Microbiol., February 1, 2002; 68(2): 938 - 941. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. de Vrese, A. Stegelmann, B. Richter, S. Fenselau, C. Laue, and J. Schrezenmeir Probiotics--compensation for lactase insufficiency Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2001; 73(2): 421S - 429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. W Rizkalla, J. Luo, M. Kabir, A. Chevalier, N. Pacher, and G. Slama Chronic consumption of fresh but not heated yogurt improves breath-hydrogen status and short-chain fatty acid profiles: a controlled study in healthy men with or without lactose maldigestion Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2000; 72(6): 1474 - 1479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]