Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study

Lactose intolerance affects more than 65% of the world’s population. Main methods for confirming this condition include hydrogen breath test, oral lactose administration and blood glucose measurements, and also biopsy. An association of lactose intolerance with genetic polymorphisms specific to cert...

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Main Authors: Chengolova Z., Ivanova R., Shentov P., Levterova V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2025-03-01
Series:Acta Medica Bulgarica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2025-0008
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author Chengolova Z.
Ivanova R.
Shentov P.
Levterova V.
author_facet Chengolova Z.
Ivanova R.
Shentov P.
Levterova V.
author_sort Chengolova Z.
collection DOAJ
description Lactose intolerance affects more than 65% of the world’s population. Main methods for confirming this condition include hydrogen breath test, oral lactose administration and blood glucose measurements, and also biopsy. An association of lactose intolerance with genetic polymorphisms specific to certain regions is found. In Europe, genetic testing of C/ T13910 is being implemented. Incidence data is available for most countries in Europe. At the time of our study, there is no data on the prevalence of lactose intolerance in Bulgaria. In this study, a questionnaire on the prevalence and awareness of lactose intolerance among the Bulgarian population was created. For the first time, the results of a lactose tolerance test and a genetic test of volunteers have been reported and systematized. The lactose test with oral administration of lactose was designed for self-testing and appeared to be a good choice to establish the current condition but was not definite enough. As many as 45% showed inconclusive results, and the patient’s symptoms were the leading point for the diagnosis. The genetic test results showed a huge prevalence of the recessive allele (C13910) associated with lactose intolerance (97%). New horizons are being opened for studies of the Bulgarian population to establish their lactose resistance in the presence of the recessive allele.
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spelling doaj-art-aa18727f182d4327b582944df5b0f3db2025-08-25T06:11:38ZengSciendoActa Medica Bulgarica2719-53842025-03-01521536310.2478/amb-2025-0008Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary StudyChengolova Z.0Ivanova R.1Shentov P.2Levterova V.31Department of Biotechnology, Assen Zlatarov University – Burgas, Bulgaria2Laboratory of Microbiology, Heart and Brain Hospital – Burgas, Bulgaria3Department of Periodontology and Oral Mucosa Diseases, Medical University – Plovdiv, Bulgaria4Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases – Sofia, BulgariaLactose intolerance affects more than 65% of the world’s population. Main methods for confirming this condition include hydrogen breath test, oral lactose administration and blood glucose measurements, and also biopsy. An association of lactose intolerance with genetic polymorphisms specific to certain regions is found. In Europe, genetic testing of C/ T13910 is being implemented. Incidence data is available for most countries in Europe. At the time of our study, there is no data on the prevalence of lactose intolerance in Bulgaria. In this study, a questionnaire on the prevalence and awareness of lactose intolerance among the Bulgarian population was created. For the first time, the results of a lactose tolerance test and a genetic test of volunteers have been reported and systematized. The lactose test with oral administration of lactose was designed for self-testing and appeared to be a good choice to establish the current condition but was not definite enough. As many as 45% showed inconclusive results, and the patient’s symptoms were the leading point for the diagnosis. The genetic test results showed a huge prevalence of the recessive allele (C13910) associated with lactose intolerance (97%). New horizons are being opened for studies of the Bulgarian population to establish their lactose resistance in the presence of the recessive allele.https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2025-0008lactose intolerancebulgariagenetic testlactose tolerance test
spellingShingle Chengolova Z.
Ivanova R.
Shentov P.
Levterova V.
Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study
Acta Medica Bulgarica
lactose intolerance
bulgaria
genetic test
lactose tolerance test
title Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study
title_full Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study
title_fullStr Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study
title_full_unstemmed Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study
title_short Lactose Intolerance in Bulgaria: A Preliminary Study
title_sort lactose intolerance in bulgaria a preliminary study
topic lactose intolerance
bulgaria
genetic test
lactose tolerance test
url https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2025-0008
work_keys_str_mv AT chengolovaz lactoseintoleranceinbulgariaapreliminarystudy
AT ivanovar lactoseintoleranceinbulgariaapreliminarystudy
AT shentovp lactoseintoleranceinbulgariaapreliminarystudy
AT levterovav lactoseintoleranceinbulgariaapreliminarystudy