Why More Indians Are Becoming Lactose Intolerant?

For generations, drinking milk was seen as essential to good health in India. If you skipped it, it was almost considered a problem. But today, many people are being diagnosed with lactose intolerance or even milk allergies. Has something in our bodies changed, or are we just becoming more aware?

Dr. Gurmeet Bhalla, an allergist explains that there’s no single cause, but a combination of factors driving this shift.

Watch the clip: Why Indians Are Becoming Lactose Intolerant?

Inflammation, Intolerance, and Awareness

First, the same factors that contribute to other allergies, environmental changes, increased stress, and poor gut health, can make the body more inflamed and reactive. When inflammation is already present, your immune system is more likely to misinterpret harmless substances like milk proteins as threats.

Second, not every reaction to milk is an allergy. Some people develop lactose intolerance, which is different. Lactose intolerance happens when the body stops producing enough lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk. This can occur gradually. You might have been able to enjoy milk as a child, but over time, enzyme production drops, and milk starts causing digestive discomfort.

The third factor is simply awareness. Years ago, many cases of milk intolerance or mild allergy went undiagnosed. People would experience bloating, stomach pain, or skin irritation and never connect it to milk. Today, increased awareness and better testing mean more people are being correctly diagnosed.

Final Takeaway

Milk allergies and lactose intolerance may be more visible today, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re entirely new. A mix of environmental changes, natural enzyme decline, and improved diagnosis has brought the issue into the spotlight. In Episode 9 of The Orange Club Podcast - Are We All Becoming Allergic? , Dr. Gurmeet Bhalla talks about how to distinguish between lactose intolerance and milk allergy, and why understanding the difference is key to managing your symptoms.