Often, yes. NIH's MedlinePlus lists fermented milk products such as yogurt, aged hard cheeses and lactose-free dairy among the milk products that may be easier to digest when you are lactose intolerant.
Lactose is a sugar in milk, and your small intestine needs an enzyme called lactase to break it down. When it does not make enough, MedlinePlus explains, milk products can bring on digestive symptoms such as bloating, usually 30 minutes to 2 hours later and often worse after large amounts. The condition is very common in adults. About 36 million American adults have it, and it is rarely dangerous.
Both the amount and the type of dairy can affect how you feel. MedlinePlus says most people with a low lactase level can drink up to one half cup of milk at one time without symptoms, while larger servings may cause problems. Cheese and buttermilk contain less lactose than milk, and fermented products such as yogurt and aged hard cheeses are on its easier-to-digest list. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Nutrition Source explains why: fermentation lowers lactose, so some people with lactose intolerance can safely eat some types of cheese and yogurt without side effects. Milk, ice cream, cream and soft cheeses such as cottage and ricotta stay high in lactose.
Cutting out every dairy food has a cost. MedlinePlus notes that going without milk and other dairy products can leave you short on calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin and protein. Lactose-free milk and milk products are one way to keep those nutrients. Leafy greens, sardines, canned salmon and broccoli supply calcium too. Check labels as well, since lactose hides in some non-milk products, including some beers.
Heritage plays a part in who gets lactose intolerance. MedlinePlus says the condition is more common among adults with Asian, African or Native American heritage. It is less common in people of northern or western European background, though it still occurs. Full-term children often show no signs before age 3, and there is no known way to prevent the condition, according to MedlinePlus.
Lactose intolerance is not always lifelong. MedlinePlus explains that an illness that involves or injures the small intestine, such as celiac disease, Crohn disease, an infection or surgery, can lower the amount of lactase the body makes. Treating those illnesses may improve the symptoms. When the cause is a temporary diarrheal illness, lactase levels return to normal within a few weeks, MedlinePlus says. It also notes that a 1 to 2 week trial of a completely lactose-free diet is sometimes tried as one way to check whether lactose is behind the symptoms.
Harvard's Nutrition Source describes what happens in the gut when lactase is short. Undigested lactose passes into the intestine, where bacteria ferment it, producing gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. Fermented dairy such as yogurt and some cheeses, Harvard adds, is lower in lactose and also contains gut bacteria that may benefit digestive health. MedlinePlus says lactase enzyme supplements are widely used and effective, and it lists lactase-treated cow's milk among the options that may be easier to digest. Your doctor can help you sort out which options fit you.
Talk to your doctor if symptoms keep pushing you to cut out dairy, since MedlinePlus notes other intestinal problems can cause the same symptoms.
