Purdue University scientist Dennis A. Savaiano says the controlled consumption of milk can help people who suffer lactose intolerance to recondition their digestive systems to accept dairy foods without discomfort. The secret is to ease the body into accepting dairy foods over time, Savaiano says.

Savaiano, who has been studying lactose intolerance for more than 16 years, and is dean of Purdue's School of Consumer and Family Sciences, says consuming milk can help people recondition their digestive systems if the consumption is controlled, such as a half glass of milk on a full stomach.

"If you consume dairy products only once in a while, you are more likely to have symptoms from them," he says. "Also if you consume them by themselves, as opposed to as part of a meal, they tend to be transported throughout the intestine more rapidly and are more likely to cause symptoms."

He found that by consuming smaller amounts of milk several times a day for three or four weeks, lactose intolerant people can train their digestive systems to break down lactose. "Our studies have shown a really amazing adaptation of the large intestine of humans. The large intestines contain bacteria that help digest lactose. By altering the diet over time, bacteria more effectively digest lactose, making milk very well tolerated."

Savaiano recommends that lactose intolerant individuals begin with one-quarter to one-half cup of milk with meals two to three times a day, and slowly increasing milk consumption. For those who experience only slight discomfort when consuming dairy foods, he suggests eating dairy products in moderation, not in large amounts at one sitting, or eating dairy foods as part of a meal, such as a cup of milk over cereal with fruit, or a glass of milk with dinner.