this post was submitted on 26 Mar 2026
967 points (99.5% liked)
Science Memes
19644 readers
1728 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I didnt get lactose intolerance until I was in my 30s. So weird that my body just decided "Nah, Im good with dairy products" all on it's own.
Really wish I would have discovered that earlier in life, before I developed my crippling cocoa pebbles addiction.
Guess you only got a little trial period of lactase persistence, as a treat, but it ran out too soon.
Didn't even get a reminder to renew my subscription, dirty bastards.
That's actually the normal way your body is supposed to be. Most mammals lose their tolerance a little after they are weaned. Only some portions of humans retained lactase in their guts, generally groups that were pastoralists retained lactase and other groups didn't. It's why most east asian don't have lactose tolerance but Mongolians, some Sub-Saharan Africans, and Europeans do.
I've read that before, but I guess what strikes me as odd is how it wasn't until I hit my 30s that I suddenly started shitting my brains out whenever I consumed more than a small glass of milk. I drank a lot of milk growing up...it was pretty much that or water much of the time, and even after I went off to college and stuff I still went through a gallon by myself every 3 or 4 days. Not even just milk but WHOLE milk...I didn't switch to skim until my 20s when I moved in with my gf and she hated whole milk.
Anyways, after three decades of no issues whatsoever, and zero change in my habits, suddenly my body decided "NYET! NO MORE!!!" and my ability to properly digest lactose evaporated basically overnight. I didn't even make the connection until I was traveling and wasn't drinking any milk on my trip and didn't have any problems, but then got nearly crippled the next morning after I had a big ol bowl of Captain Crunch before bed the night I got home.
There's no way our bodies are "supposed" to be. There's the way they are and the way they were. Also some brave and dedicated individuals can apparently overcome lactose intolerance through exposure therapy. Basically they eat a bunch of dairy every day for weeks until their gut biome readjusts to digest lactose without all the discomfort. Apparently the gas and bloating are caused by the overgrowth of some bacteria and it just takes some time to find a new equilibrium so you don't get big blooms every time you eat lactose.