5) Diarrhea
As you may know, diarrhea is a symptom characterized by increased stool frequency and decreased consistency. Generally, it responds to an infectious syndrome. It occurs as a process of active secretion of fluids in the intestinal wall, associated or not with a condition in which water absorption is diminished. Although it is evident that more serious problems related to the digestive system are suspected, the history of this symptom in the case of lactose intolerance and the characteristics of the clinical picture are confirmed by laboratory studies. The test for routine use in the clinic is the test strip, which identifies the presence of reducing substances (for example, sugar) in the stool.
This procedure allows you to monitor a person’s ability to tolerate lactose continuously. The test is recommended as soon as a liquid fraction of the stool is obtained; If it is not possible, it is suggested to freeze the sample to prevent bacteria from consuming the sugar that could be present. With this procedure, only the presence of reducing substances, such as lactose and glucose, is identified.
