The ‘Lactolerance’ range of supplements seek to address the body's inability to digest lactose (milk sugar) due to an absence of the enzyme lactase. The condition is thought to affect around 5% of the Northern European population.
“Our products are aimed for lactose intolerant people who suffer in their daily lives rather than people who have adopted a [dietary] philosophy,” explains PhysioSynthèse’s founder Carlos Rommelaere.
“The products "without" are excellent news for the meals eaten at home, but their choices are very limited and would never cover all of their food needs, especially in restaurants.
“There is a difference of taste too: a lactose-free cheeses are of course an option, but they will never have the flavor of an excellent "camembert" for example.”
Lactose-intolerant well catered for
Laboratoire PhysioSynthèse join DSM, US-firm Deerland Enzymes and sports nutrition firm SciTec Nutrition in offering digestive aids for people who suffer from lactose intolerance.
Symptoms of the disorder include bloating, gas, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps once the undigested lactose reaches the large intestine.
The condition is also a consideration amongst those who use sports nutrition supplementation, especially as milk-derived whey protein is the most popular choice of protein on the market.
Alternatives include soy protein, pea protein and wheat protein isolate
Products in Laboratoire PhysioSynthèse range include the 4500 FCC Lactolerance capsule for people moderately intolerant upto Lactolerance 9000 FCC for severe intolerants, to be taken just before the absorption of a food containing lactose.
The firm also offer ‘Lactolerance 1Day,’ an all-day solution to the condition with just one capsule needed that lasts 24 hours.
“To improve the safety of our consumers, we went further, with an organic certification of our last product Lactolerance 1Day,” said Rommelaere.
“We have also removed nanoparticles from all of our references although the laws do not require us to do so.”
EFSA recommendations
In addition to organic certification, the tasteless and sugar free supplements comply with recommendations put forward by the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA).
Lactase supplementation has enjoyed a favorable safety profile with the agency proclaiming back in November 2009 that 4500 FCC (Food Chemicals Codex) units with each lactose-containing meal was the recommended dose.
“The Panel considers that the dose may have to be adjusted to individual needs for lactase supplementation and consumption lactose containing products.”
The scientific panel also noted in another scientific opinion dated Sep 2010 that, “The avoidance of conventional dairy products without supplementation or appropriate adaptation of dietary habits may result in low intakes of calcium, vitamin D and riboflavin.”