Your gut bacteria can override your DNA to let you digest milk even if you are "genetically" lactose intolerant.
Lactose intolerance is usually seen as a fixed genetic trait where the body stops producing a specific enzyme. Scientists discovered that many people across the globe who lack this gene can still drink milk without any symptoms. This is because their gut microbiome has evolved to produce the missing enzyme for them. These bacteria effectively patch the host's genetic deficiency, allowing for a broader diet. This reveals that our nutritional limits are not just written in our cells, but are managed by a partnership with trillions of microbes.
Microbially Acquired Lactose Tolerance Compensates for Host Genetic Lactase Deficiency across Continents
SSRN · 6690580
In dairying populations where the lactase persistence (LP) genotype dominates, the ancestral lactase non-persistent (LNP) genotype is thought to have been selected against, partly due to lactose intolerance from the gut microbiome. Symptom severity can vary widely however, and how distinct microbiomes globally relate to variation in lactose intolerance is unclear. Here, we performed lactose tolerance testing in LNP individuals from Germany, Gabon, and Vietnam. 15% of LNP individuals produced lac