Lactose intolerance can be both embarrassing and frustrating at the same time.  Learning about it as early as possible is very important so that you can take precautions.  You can take a test for lactose intolerance just to make sure.  This way, you can be more careful with the food that you eat and avoid the hassles that will soon follow. 

Lactose intolerance is a condition when your body can not break down the lactose, a type of sugar in milk and other dairy products.  The body metabolizes it and breaks it down to be used as energy source of the body.  Normally this is done without any problems.  The enzyme known as lactase breaks it down efficiently into its simpler components which the body will absorb.  However, there are some people who do not have the important lactase to breakdown the sugar.  As such, lactose enters the large intestines where bacteria are waiting to break it down.  However, instead of useable substances, it is broken down to lactic acid and other chemicals. 

The test for lactose intolerance is important so that you can prevent diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and rumbling.  Flatulence is also a symptom of lactose intolerance so preventing it from happening is a welcomed by everybody.  Usually these symptoms will be evident at least 30 minutes after ingesting food with lactose. 

There are two tests to determine if you are lactose intolerant.  The first one is the Hydrogen breath test.  In this test, you simply exhale into a container when the amount of hydrogen you exhale is measured.  After that, the person will be given a lactose drink and the breath test will done.  Several breath tests will be taking in a specific period.  If you have lactose intolerance, the hydrogen level in your test will increase. 

Another test for lactose intolerance is the Lactose tolerance blood test.  For this test, the blood is checked for the glucose level.  Just like the first test, there will be a control test where the baseline is determined.  Succeeding blood tests are taken to compare it after drinking a lactose drink. 

Among the two tests, the Hydrogen breath test is preferred by many since no drawing of blood is required. 

These two tests will help determine if the person is lactose intolerant.  If can't break down lactose there are several things you can do.  First, if the symptoms are mild, you can simply endure it.  But if not, you can start reading labels and avoid foods with lactose.  Another option is to take lactase drops or even lactase tablets to help metabolize lactose in your food.