Question

i. marias problem
after maria drinks a tall glass of milk, her abdomen feels uncomfortable and she has diarrhea and flatulence. maria has noticed three things about her problem.

• she has the same symptoms after she drinks milk that has had the fat removed.
• she does not have these symptoms if she drinks milk that has had the sugar lactose removed.
• she also does not have these symptoms if she takes a pill that contains the enzyme lactase when she drinks a glass of whole milk.

1a. what do you think is the cause of marias symptoms?
1b. how do you think the enzyme lactase prevents marias symptoms?

Explanation:

1a. Maria's symptoms occur when she consumes lactose - containing milk but not when lactose is removed or when she takes lactase. This indicates that she has lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is a condition where the body lacks sufficient lactase enzyme to digest lactose properly.
1b. The enzyme lactase breaks down lactose (a disaccharide) into its monosaccharide components, galactose and glucose. When Maria takes lactase, it helps her digest the lactose in the milk, preventing the undigested lactose from causing symptoms like abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and flatulence.

Answer:

1a. Maria has lactose intolerance.
1b. Lactase breaks down lactose into galactose and glucose, allowing proper digestion and preventing symptoms.