lactase deficiency
- noun
- /ˈlækteɪs dɪˈfɪʃənsi/
- Specialized
:
deficiencia de lactasa
- Many people suffer from lactase deficiency.
Examples
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Managing lactase deficiency usually involves avoiding foods and drinks that contain lactose.
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People with lactase deficiency often experience bloating and cramps after consuming dairy products.
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Doctors can diagnose lactase deficiency using a hydrogen breath test.
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Is lactase deficiency common in adults?
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People with lactase deficiency often experience stomach pain after consuming milk or cheese.
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Lactose intolerance is a common issue caused by lactase deficiency, preventing many from enjoying dairy products.
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A diagnosis of lactase deficiency can help explain why someone feels unwell after eating ice cream.
Synonyms
4
3.5
The body cannot digest the sugar in milk, causing stomach pain
A condition when the body cannot digest milk because it cannot break down milk sugar
Surface Forms
Morphology
Given knowledge of 'lactase' (the enzyme that breaks down lactose) and 'deficiency' (a lack or insufficient amount), a B1 learner can directly infer that 'lactase deficiency' means having too little lactase. The compound follows a regular medical pattern ('X deficiency') that is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so the meaning is predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Lactase deficiency comes from lactase, the body 'enzyme' that breaks the milk sugar 'lactose', and deficiency, meaning 'not having enough'. So lactase deficiency literally means not having enough lactase, which explains why people with it cannot digest milk and often feel uncomfortable after eating dairy.