Abstract
Lactose is a disaccharide consisting of a glucose and a galactose. Milk is a sole source of lactose in natural food. Lactase hydrolyzes lactose into glucose and galactose that are absorbed in the intestine and utilized by body. After the weaning, lactase activity declines. Therefore, the majority of the adults have hypolactasia. The prevalence is above 50% in South America, Africa, and Asia. Lactose is consumed much as cow milk-based food products. However, it has no special nutritional importance for adults even it is suspected as a dietary risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and ovarian cancer. The aim of this study is to review the evidences and to propose the possible mechanisms about the relations between lactose intake and CHD and ovarian cancer. Epidemiological studies support the connection of lactose and CHD. Several mechanisms are suggested to elucidate this connection but calcium theory is the most plausible. Galactose has been known to be toxic to ovary. Galactose is suggested to induce ovarian cancer through hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Some epidemiological data support this but others do not. The consumption of lactose or galactose can induce CHD and ovarian cancer, but more research should be needed to make sure of the relation between lactose and these diseases.
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