• RGB3x3@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    People who are lactose intolerant don’t usually die from it.

    People with peanut allergies very quickly die from it.

    Don’t think these are really comparable.

    • TheAmishMan@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      This is the real difference.

      One is an allergy hypersensitivity that triggers the release of histamine that (in this scenario) closes the throat and causes the person to die.

      The other is a lack of an enzyme in the stomach to break down a specific component, so instead bacteria break it down. When they break it down, gas is released, which causes the stomach to be irritated.

      So one is your throat literally trying to kill you, vs your stomach being irritated (possibly very bad). Not downplaying lactose intolerance, but its not the same as a type 1 hypersensitivity

      Edit - as pointed out, most the stuff for lactose intolerance happens in the intestines not the stomach

      • Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de
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        1 year ago

        Small correction: the stomach does not break down lactose, it’s in the small intestine where lactase breaks it down into glucose and galactose which are then absorbed. The irritation that occurs in lactose intolerant people is an irritation of the colon due to the gaseous bloat allowing more liquid to enter, the stomach is unaffected by all of this.

        • TheAmishMan@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Yep sorry for the oversight. Was using stomach moreso just referring to the digestive process, but you are certainly correct