Lactase Plus

Lactase Plus is a digestive enzyme supplement designed especially for individuals who suffer from the inability to digest lactose, commonly referred to as “lactose intolerance.” Lactase Plus provides a combination of enzymes to help eliminate the gastrointestinal problems often experienced when consuming dairy products, including bloating, cramping, diarrhea, gas, and stomach upset. Lactase Plus is also beneficial for individuals who simply experience increased mucus production and congestion from milk and milk products.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, a naturally occurring sugar found in milk. The enzyme Lactase is necessary for lactose digestion. However, many children and numerous adults do not produce enough lactase to sufficiently digest lactose. In fact, it is estimated that only 1/3 of the world’s population retains the ability to digest lactose into adulthood (most infants produce lactase, but many children lose their lactase enzyme between ages 3-7). As many as 70-90% of adult African, Asian, Middle Eastern and Native Americans descent suffer from lactose intolerance, along with 50% of Hispanics and about 20% of Caucasians. Thus, milk allergy is classified as the most prevalent food sensitivity in the United States.

Unfortunately, many children suffer from multiple ear infections as a result of consuming milk and milk products. When sensitive individuals consume milk, a powerful immune response is stimulated in the gut—circulating white blood cells are reduced by approximately 40% as they migrate to the source of irritation. This immune response leaves other parts of the body deficient and vulnerable, allowing infections of the tonsils, sinuses and ears to take hold.

Other serious health problems may be linked to lactose malabsorption, including irritable bowel syndrome and the development of mental depression—preliminary research suggests that high intestinal lactose levels may interfere with serotonin availability.

Many of the digestive problems associated with milk and milk products stem from pasteurization and homogenization processes, which destroy or render useless the vitamins, minerals and enzymes naturally present in whole milk. These nutrients are needed to facilitate the digestion and assimilation of milk. It is interesting to note that calves fed pasteurized milk develop joint stiffness and will fail to thrive.

Furthermore, mounting evidence suggests that lactose may be a dietary risk factor for atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction (heart attack).

NSP’s Lactase Plus contains lactase, combined with lipase and protease.

Lipase, a lipolytic enzyme produced by the pancreas, assists the digestion of dietary fats (such as milk fat) and oils in the stomach and small intestine. Lipase deficiency results in malabsorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Lipase supplementation is especially helpful in cases where liver or gallbladder function is compromised.

Protease is a pancreatic enzyme that aids protein digestion, including milk proteins (caseins). Milk proteins, which are difficult to digest, can be regarded by the immune system as part of a bacterium or virus, thus triggering an immune response. Studies done in the 1930’s and 40’s found pancreatic enzymes to be noticeably effective for inhibiting food allergies.