Lactose tolerance:

Question

Lactose tolerance:

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Lactose tolerance is the ability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, into adulthood. This ability is absent in many populations around the world, but it is common in populations with a long history of dairy farming. It is believed that lactose tolerance offered a selective advantage to these populations by allowing them to exploit a nutrient-rich food source (dairy products) even after weaning, which may have contributed to better health and survival. Therefore, lactose tolerance was likely selected for in certain populations after Homo sapiens sapiens spread globally, rather than being common in our earliest ancestors or in all high-altitude mountain dwellers. Lactose tolerance is not necessary for the efficient digestion of alcohol and grain-based food items, although it is sometimes associated with a reduced risk of certain digestive disorders that affect those who consume high amounts of grain-based foods.

Lactose Tolerance