Elimination Diet

Removing lactose containing food products from the diet for 14 days is a simple way to self-diagnose an intolerance to lactose. However, it is still important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet, by using alternatives such as lactose free dairy products or soya.

Successfully completing a diet of this kind can take dedication, however there are elimination diet support guides available to assist participants. Please note that an elimination diet is not suitable for adults who show sign of weight loss or children under the age of 16.

Step 1: Remove all lactose foods from the diet for 14 days.

After two weeks of following a diet that is completely free from lactose, individuals should assess any changes in their symptoms. A reduction in symptoms indicates a probable intolerance to lactose, while continued digestive discomfort would imply that lactose is not the problem.

Step 2: Testing tolerance levels.

This step tests how much lactose, if any, an individual can tolerate - most people retain some lactase activity and may be able to manage limited amounts of lactose in their diet. Individuals should gradually reintroduce lactose to the diet, measuring when symptoms return to establish their tolerance levels.