Lactose - Are we meant to drink milk as adults?

[Tim]

The primary source of the sugar lactose comes from milk. And although we are all born with the digestive enzyme lactase, which is an evolutionary component of drinking our mother's milk, at about two years of age our production of the enzyme lactase begins to taper as we are introduced to solid foods.

So what happens when we continue to drink milk as adults? Without the presence of lactase, lactose travels to our bowel where it is broken down by bacteria. This process often results in symptoms such as cramps, gas, and diarrhea (especially in large quantities).

Note: There are some people who retain the enzyme lactase into adult hood.

[alexjoan]

Milk is an almost complete single food and the more important contributions
milk and milk products make to our daily needs for energy, protein, calcium and
certain vitamins are summarized in Table I. Besides its general role as an
important component of the mixed diets eaten by most of the population, cow's
milk has a special value in infant nutrition through serving as the source of most of
the ingredients used in the preparation of infant milk foods. In this paper present
knowledge of the role in human nutrition of the lactose, vitamins.

[Tim]

Milk is an almost complete single food and the more important contributions
milk and milk products make to our daily needs for energy, protein, calcium and
certain vitamins are summarized in Table I. Besides its general role as an
important component of the mixed diets eaten by most of the population, cow's
milk has a special value in infant nutrition through serving as the source of most of
the ingredients used in the preparation of infant milk foods. In this paper present
knowledge of the role in human nutrition of the lactose, vitamins.

I'm not arguing that people don't use milk or even that is an insufficient source of sustenance. I am just trying to prove that humans were never meant to drink milk in the way we do. Evidence supporting my claim...

• No other animal besides humans have the ability to (or actually do) continue to drink milk into adulthood

• ~60% of the world's population lack the enzyme lactase to breakdown lactose (the sugar found in milk). This means instead of being broken down by the bodies enzymes the lactose is passed to the bowel where it is fermented by bacteria which causes bloating, cramps, ect.

• Infants are born with lactase and then lose it after infancy