The Concept of Lactose Intolerance in Ayurveda

Ayurveda has its peculiarity about food and its role in the maintenance of health and treatment of diseases since before the emergence of modern medical science. Ayurveda considers that wholesome food is the cause of health and wellbeing while unwholesome food is the root cause of all diseases. In Ayurveda, milk is considered as Rasayan (rejuvenator), Jeevaniya (vitaliser) etc. Modern medical science also considers milk as complete food. Lactose intolerance is the condition which restricts consumption of milk in human beings. Most humans, like other mammals, gradually lose the intestinal enzyme lactase after infancy and with it the ability to digest lactose, the principle sugar in milk. Approximately 70% of the world population has hypolactasia, which often remains undiagnosed and has the potential to cause some morbidity. The condition of DugdhaAsatmyata as described in Ayurveda Mahodadhi, an ancient text about food and nutrition, is the description of lactose intolerance. The line of treatment of DugdhaAsatmyata can be traced back to ancient texts like CharakSamhita etc. where the condition had not been described as separate entity but can be traced scattered here and there. The present paper will put forward the concept of lactose intolerance and its line of treatment in Ayurveda.