Tag: Reintroducing dairy

Over 60% of the world's adult population is already lactose intolerant to some degree. Despite this natural decline, many people report experiencing increased digestive issues with dairy after adopting a vegan diet. So, can you become lactose intolerant after becoming vegan?

Lactose intolerance affects an estimated 68% of the world's population, but the inability to fully digest dairy doesn't mean you must avoid it forever. With careful planning, many individuals can improve their dairy tolerance by retraining their digestive system and supporting their gut health.

While some studies indicate that a vegan diet changes the gut microbiome in as little as 24 hours, these changes are often reversible. This means that knowing how to reintroduce food after being vegan is crucial for minimizing digestive issues and managing the psychological shift involved.

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 65% of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. While this common genetic trait, known as lactase nonpersistence, determines your lifelong digestive capacity, a prolonged vegan diet can temporarily mimic symptoms of lactose intolerance when dairy is reintroduced. This happens because the body's production of the lactase enzyme adjusts to what you consume, but this change is often reversible with careful reintroduction.

While about 65% of the world's population has some form of reduced ability to digest lactose as adults, the question, "Will I become intolerant if I cut out dairy?" is more complex and depends largely on genetics and how long you abstain. The body can reduce its production of the lactase enzyme when it is not needed, leading to temporary digestive issues upon reintroduction.