Hypolactasia, lactose maldigestion, malabsorption, and intolerance: An introduction Nourishment for mammalian infants in the first few months of life comes only in the form of milk, which essentially consists of an array of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates composed of lactose and other important oligosaccharides. However, in many individuals, the tolerance for this kind of food is seen to decrease in adulthood.1 Lactose intolerance is an age-old clinical condition which has been extensively analyzed scientifically; herein the characteristic signs and symptoms of pain, abdominal distention, flatulence, and diarrhea occur after lactose consumption.1,2 This disaccharide, present in milk and dairy products, is hydrolyzed into glucose and galactose by lactase enzyme thus requiring lactase activity in the small intestinal brush border for its absorption.