According to the National Institute for Health (NIH), approximately 65% of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. Lactose is a natural sugar commonly found in milk and dairy products. Lactase is an enzyme found in the small intestines which breaks lactose down into more simple sugars to be absorbed into the body.  When there is a deficiency in lactase, undigested lactose in the intestines pulls in water and gets fermented by bacteria which results in gas production.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the large intestine that is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, cramping and diarrhea or constipation that has lasted at least 6 months. Women are twice as likely as men to develop IBS and it is more common in people who are in their mid-forties or younger. IBS is chronic disorder, meaning it can last for many years, but it is not a disease. Symptoms may come and go over time,