Navigating digestive issues can be challenging, especially when symptoms overlap. Crohn’s disease and lactose intolerance both cause discomfort, but their underlying causes and treatments differ significantly.
Crohn’s disease and lactose intolerance share many of the same symptoms. It’s possible to think you have one when you really have the other.
Complicating matters is the fact that people with Crohn’s disease are
Cramping and persistent diarrhea usually accompany both Crohn’s disease and lactose intolerance. However, a person with Crohn’s may also find blood or mucus in their stool.
Other symptoms of Crohn’s that aren’t typically found in people with lactose intolerance are:
- a loss of appetite
- unintentional weight loss
- fever
- fatigue
- anemia
Crohn’s disease may go into remission for weeks or months at a time with few or no symptoms. Someone with lactose intolerance will experience symptoms every time they consume dairy products.
There are multiple risk factors for Crohn’s disease, including:
- smoking cigarettes
- a family history of the disease
- eating a high fat diet or one high in processed foods
- living in an urban area
Lactose intolerance occurs in
Some people begin to lose some of their lactase enzymes as they age. This makes them less able to digest foods containing lactose.
Research also suggests that lactose intolerance is more common in people with Crohn’s disease than in those without it. Despite these findings, a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease doesn’t mean you’ll definitely develop lactose intolerance.
It’s important to note that lactose intolerance isn’t a type of food allergy and it isn’t harmful, even for people with Crohn’s disease. However, it may add to your discomfort.
Most people with lactose intolerance can digest at least some lactose, but how much depends on the amount of lactase in their bodies. For some, the lactase enzyme may be inducible. This means that if a person regularly exceeds the amount of lactose they can normally tolerate, their body may respond by increasing the amount of lactase it produces.
Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in various areas of the digestive tract. Its symptoms can range from mild to severe.
At the moment, there’s no cure for Crohn’s. However, its symptoms can typically be managed effectively.
Symptoms of Crohn’s disease can include:
- abdominal pain and cramping
- diarrhea, which is often severe
- bloody stools
- weight loss
- diminished appetite
- malnutrition
- sores in the mouth
- fatigue
- rectal pain, also known as tenesmus
If Crohn’s is left untreated, more symptoms may occur. These include:
- inflammation of the joints
- inflammation of the eyes and skin
- delayed puberty, or growth, in children
When a person without lactose intolerance eats lactose, the enzyme lactase breaks it down into a pair of simpler sugars. Both of these sugars, glucose and galactose, absorb quickly through the small intestine and release into the bloodstream.
But if someone doesn’t have enough lactase, the small intestine can only digest a portion of the lactose.
As the undigested lactose travels through the small intestine and into the colon, it draws in water through osmosis. This excess water is responsible for the cramps and diarrhea sometimes associated with lactose intolerance.
Other symptoms of the condition include:
- bloating
- nausea
- abdominal pain
- excessive flatulence, or gas
These symptoms occur during the fermentation process, which happens when bacteria in the colon work to break down lactose. As the bacteria act on the lactose, it turns into an acid, which then produces gas.
The acid may also cause anal itching.
Since they both affect the digestive tract, Crohn’s disease and lactose intolerance share many of the same symptoms.
It’s important to figure out which condition you have. Crohn’s disease is a serious, progressive condition that can become severe if left untreated.
A healthcare professional can help you determine which condition is causing your symptoms. They can also help you decide on the most appropriate treatment plan.