Lactose Intolerance, Lactase Persistence, and Why Humans Shouldn’t Be Drinking Milk
- William Shotton
- Oct 6
- 4 min read
During the last few years, hundreds of Tibico customers have changed from milk based kefirs and yogurts in favour of our unique, all-natural, lacto-fermented water kefirs due to their lactose intolerance.
Most people consider lactose intolerance as an ailment or allergy but this is not the case. In this blog I have tried to help you understand why, and please kindly share with friends and family if you know of someone suffering from this sometimes debilitating problem
Why Most Adults Are Lactose Intolerant
Most humans are not designed to drink milk — and that’s not opinion, it’s evolution.
Babies produce the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, the sugar in milk. But once we’re weaned, our bodies naturally stop producing lactase. That’s nature’s way of saying, “you’re done with milk now.”
So, when you drink milk as an adult and feel bloated, gassy, or exhausted — that’s not an allergy or weakness. It’s simply lactose intolerance, which affects about 70% of the global population.
The Genetic Mutation That Keeps Some People Drinking Milk
A few thousand years ago, a genetic mutation appeared that allowed some adults to keep producing lactase into adulthood — a trait called lactase persistence.
It spread mostly through Northern Europe and East Africa, where milk became a survival food in harsh climates. But let’s be clear: this was a genetic exception, not the rule.
Today, only a small percentage of the global population can digest milk properly. For everyone else, drinking milk is like asking your biology to do something it was never built for.
The Dairy Myth: Milk, Calcium, and Bone Health
You’ve heard it since childhood: “Milk builds strong bones.” Here’s the uncomfortable truth — that’s marketing, not science.
Yes, milk contains calcium, but it’s not the only — or best — source. Plant foods like kale, broccoli, almonds, sesame, chia, and bok choy offer calcium that’s often more bioavailable and better absorbed by the body.
Even the World Health Organization (WHO) and Harvard School of Public Health agree: you don’t need milk for bone strength. What you need are calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and a healthy gut microbiome to help your body absorb and retain those minerals.
In fact, research shows that countries with the highest milk consumption often have the highest rates of osteoporosis. Why? Because dairy creates an acidic load in the body, forcing it to pull calcium out of the bones to neutralize the pH.
So no — milk doesn’t guarantee stronger bones. It might even do the opposite.
Why Fermented Dairy Like Yogurt and Milk Kefir Aren’t the Answer
Many lactose-intolerant people turn to yogurt or milk kefir, thinking fermentation makes them safe. It helps — but only slightly. Fermentation reduces some lactose, not all.
Residual lactose, casein proteins, and hormones in dairy can still irritate the gut, trigger inflammation, and disrupt your gut microbiome.
If your digestion is already sensitive, even “healthy” dairy ferments can leave you bloated, tired, or out of sync.
Tibico Water Kefir: Lacto-Fermented, Not Lactose-Based
That’s where Tibico Fermentary changes everything.
Tibico’s all-natural, lacto-fermented water kefir is made entirely from whole fruits and plants, not milk. The beneficial bacteria and yeasts feed on natural fruit sugars, creating billions of live probiotic cultures that support gut health — without lactose, casein, or dairy.
This is fermentation as nature intended: clean, plant-based, and biologically aligned.
And unlike milk, Tibico water kefir naturally contains organic acids, enzymes, and bioavailable minerals that help the body absorb calcium efficiently — without the calcium-leaching side effects of dairy.
Lactose Intolerance Isn’t a Problem — It’s a Message
If milk, yogurt, or kefir make you bloated or fatigued, your body isn’t malfunctioning — it’s sending a clear message:
You’re not a calf.
You don’t need milk for calcium.
Your gut thrives on plants, fibre, and fermentation — not lactose and hormones.
Switching to plant-based, lacto-fermented foods like Tibico water kefir gives your body what it actually wants: living probiotics, prebiotics, and real nourishment.
The Bottom Line
70% of adults are lactose intolerant — it’s the biological norm.
Lactase persistence is a rare genetic mutation, not the default.
Calcium comes naturally from plants and mineral-rich water, not milk.
Dairy can disrupt gut balance and weaken bone calcium stores.
Tibico water kefir offers gut-loving probiotics without dairy or lactose.
In the End…
Milk was for babies. We’ve evolved — and our drinks should too.
Tibico Fermentary. All natural. Lacto-fermented. Dairy-free. Gut-healthy. For the lactose-intolerant, the gut-conscious, and the biologically evolved.
Tibico Fermentary. Fermented whole fruit. Proven by science. Backed by your microbiome.
Stay Healthy
William
References and Further Reading
Harvard School of Public Health – Calcium and Milk: What’s Best for Your Bones and Health?
World Health Organization – Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (WHO TRS 916)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – Lactose Intolerance Overview
Enattah, N.S. et al., Nature Genetics (2002) – Identification of a variant associated with adult-type hypolactasia (lactase non-persistence)
Feskanich, D. et al., American Journal of Public Health (2014) – Milk consumption and hip fracture risk in men and women
European Food Safety Authority – Scientific Opinion on Lactose Intolerance and Threshold Levels
Heaney, R.P. (2009). Milk and bone health: Myth and reality. Nutrition Reviews.
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