Lactobacillus acidophilus as a Dietary Adjunct for Milk to Aid Lactose Digestion in Humans

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Abstract
The effect of L. acidophilus on lactose utilization of human lactose malabsorbers was determined by comparing the amount of H excreted in breath after consuming milk containing 0, 2.5 .times. 106, 2.5 .times. 107 or 2.5 .times. 108 L. acidophilus/ml daily for 6 days. Consumption of milk without cells of L. acidophilus for 1 wk did not affect lactose utilization. Milk containing 2.5 .times. 106 or 2.5 .times. 108 L. acidophilus/ml improved lactose utilization. Consumption of milk containing an intermediate 2.5 .times. 107/ml did not improve utilization based on comparison of group means before and after consuming the test milk. The lack of a significant effect for the latter group of test subjects was probably due to large increases of excreted H on day 7 as compared to day 0 by 2 of the 6 test subjects. The beneficial effect of L. acidophilus was immediate and did not require that milk be consumed daily. Improved digestion of lactose was not due to hydrolysis of the lactose prior to consumption, which indicated that the beneficial effect must have occurred in the digestive tract after consumption of milk containing L. acidophilus.