Dietary considerations in lactose intolerance: Does goat milk offer a viable substitute for cow’s milk in sensitive individuals?

Lactose, commonly referred to as milk sugar, is a disaccharide composed of linked glucose and galactose molecules, naturally present in human breast milk, the milk of mammals—including cows—as well as in non-fermented dairy products. The underlying cause of lactose intolerance frequently stems from a congenital deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for hydrolyzing lactose into an absorbable form within the digestive tract. Beginning from the second year of life, a gradual decline in the enzyme’s activity is observed, eventually reaching just 5% of its original efficiency. While infants and young children rarely exhibit symptoms of this condition, adolescents and adults may experience its full spectrum of effects, necessitating the complete exclusion from their diet of not only milk itself but also all dairy derivatives to prevent adverse gastrointestinal reactions.