Biology and you essay #3

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Pennsylvania State University *

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Biology

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Apr 3, 2024

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What Makes Lactose Intolerance So Prevalent in Society Today? Lactose intolerance is a prevalent condition in society, affecting a considerable amount of the global population. This condition occurs when a person ingests the disaccharide, lactose, which is found in dairy products. “ Normally upon lactose consumption, it is hydrolyzed into glucose and galactose by the lactase enzyme, which is found in the small intestinal brush border. Deficiency of lactase due to primary or secondary causes results in clinical symptoms'' (Malik). Being lactose intolerant can be attributed to several factors, for instance, genetics, cultural shifts in diet, and increased awareness of the diagnosis. An individual’s genetics may play a significant role in the development of lactose intolerance. A genetic predisposition to lactose intolerance usually presents as a decline in the production of lactase as one ages. Lactase is the enzyme that is produced to break down the disaccharide (sugar) lactose, which is composed of glucose and galactose. The gene that encodes for lactase is often active in infants and slows down by the age of four, this is referred to as primary lactase deficiency (Malik). When people who are lactase non-persistent consume dairy products, they experience digestive problems such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. These individuals do not have a copy of the dominant allele for the gene that gives one the ability to digest lactose. So over time, one loses the ability to break down lactose as well as an adult who is lactase persistent (Gerbault et al.). As genetic factors are passed down through generations, lactose intolerance becomes more prevalent. Cultural shifts in diet contribute to lactose intolerance as well. In particular parts of the world, traditional diets were often lactose-free and contained minimal dairy products. As global

diets changed and dairy products were accepted, lactose intolerance became more common in individuals (Gerbault et al.). This is a problem in regions where lactose consumption increases rapidly, and the population needs more time to adapt genetically to this change. However, lactase persistence is an autosomal dominant trait that results in the mutation of a noncoding regulatory region upstream of the lactase gene ( Olds, L. C., & Sibley, E) . It has shown that the lactase persistent gene has risen over time in the European and African populations. This is because these areas relied on dairy-producing animals, causing these individuals to mutate over time from natural selection ( A human example) . Furthermore, the increased awareness of this diagnosis has presented more cases within the population. Oftentimes, a person is diagnosed in a physical exam. This is tested by either a blood test, hydrogen blood test or a stool exa mination (L actose Intolerance). But as science continues to advance and DNA tests like those done in class have become more available, more people are aware of the condition and seek medical advice when symptoms are presented. This has led to higher rates of lactose intolerance as individuals are more informed about their dietary choices and limitations. These individuals are more likely to avoid dairy products or use lactase supplements to manage their symptoms. This condition has become more widely recognized and accommodated to modern society, with a growing variety of lactose-free products available and dietary options available to those who have been diagnosed with this condition. As someone potentially lactose intolerant, learning about lactase persistence and lactase non-persistence was interesting. Being aware of this topic has sparked my interest in more information. For example, this has made me consider getting tested myself and avoiding products with lactose in them. Being

informed of this can lessen my symptoms in the future and give me a better quality of life overall.

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References A human example of natural selection . Biology 110 | A Human Example of Natural Selection. (n.d.). https://oer.hax.psu.edu/dmw29/sites/biol110/page/page-4 Gerbault, P., Liebert, A., Itan, Y., Powell, A., Currat, M., Burger, J., Swallow, D. M., & Thomas, M. G. (2011, March 27). Evolution of lactase persistence: An example of human niche construction . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3048992/ “Lactose Intolerance.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and- diseases/lactose-intolerance#:~:text=Lactose%20intolerance%20often%20runs%20in,after%20a %20disease%20or%20infection. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023. Malik TF, Panuganti KK. Lactose Intolerance . [Updated 2023 Apr 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532285/ Olds, L. C., & Sibley, E. (2003). Lactase persistence DNA variant enhances lactase promoter activity in vitro: functional role as a cis regulatory element. Human molecular genetics , 12 (18), 2333– 2340. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddg244

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