lactase enzyme (OTC)

Brand and Other Names:Lactaid Original, Colief, more...Lactaid Fast Act Chewables, Lactaid Fast Act Caplets

Dosing & Uses

AdultPediatric

Dosage Forms & Strengths

Expressed in FCC units

tablet

  • 3,000 units/tablet (Lactaid Original)
  • 9,000 units/tablet (Lactaid Fast Act Caplets)

chewable tablet

  • 9,000 units/tablet (Lactaid Fast Act Chewables)

Lactose Intolerance

Take 3,000-9,000 units PO with meals or dairy

Dosing considerations

If still eating or drinking dairy products after 30-45 min, may need to take another dose as per recommendations of healthcare professional

Dosage Forms & Strengths

Expressed in FCC units

1 mg ~equivalent to 14 FCC units

tablet

  • 3,000 units/tablet (Lactaid Original)
  • 9,000 units/tablet (Lactaid Fast Act Caplets)

chewable tablet

  • 9,000 units/tablet (Lactaid Fast Act Chewables)

oral solution

  • (Colief Infant Drops)

Lactose Intolerance

≥4 years: Take 3,000-9,000 units PO with meals or dairy

Infant Colic

Breast milk

  • Express a few tablespoons of breast milk into a sterilized container
  • Add 4 drops of lactase infant drops
  • Give mixture to infant on a spoon or oral syringe before initiating breastfeeding
  • Breast feed as normal

Formula

  • Prepare infant's formula as per manufacturer's instructions (or use ready-to-use formula)
  • Add 4 drops of lactase infant drops to warm (not hot) formula
  • Wait 30 minutes, shaking the formula occasionally, then feed your infant as normal, making sure that the formula is at the correct temperature
  • Discard any unused formula

Making formula in advance with lactase infant drops

  • Prepare infant's formula as per manufacturer's instructions
  • Add 2 drops of lactase infant drops to the warm (not hot) formula
  • Store in your refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hr before use and use within 12 hr
  • Feed infant as normal making sure that the formula is at the correct temperature
  • Discard any unused formula

Dosing Considerations

Children <4 years of age to be administered only under supervision of healthcare professional

Administration

Lactase enzyme is destroyed by high heat; it works best in warm milk/formula (ie, body temperature ~98 degrees F)

Add lactase infant drops after milk/formula is prepared and at body temperature; do not boil milk with the lactase drops already mixed in with the milk

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Adverse Effects

None documented

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Warnings

Contraindications

None documented

Cautions

Some products may contain aspartame and should be avoided in patients with phenylketonuria

Patient should inform healthcare provider about taking lactase tablets

For use in children <4 years of age only as recommended by healthcare professional

If pregnant or plan on getting pregnant, should inform healthcare provider and discuss benefits and risks of using lactase while pregnant

Has not been evaluated by the FDA, but is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for human consumption

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Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy Category: A

Lactation: May be used with breastfeeding

Pregnant or breastfeeding patients should seek advice of health professional before using OTC drugs

Pregnancy Categories

A: Generally acceptable. Controlled studies in pregnant women show no evidence of fetal risk.

B: May be acceptable. Either animal studies show no risk but human studies not available or animal studies showed minor risks and human studies done and showed no risk.

C: Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done.

D: Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk.

X: Do not use in pregnancy. Risks involved outweigh potential benefits. Safer alternatives exist.

NA: Information not available.

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Pharmacology

Mechanism of Action

Enzyme; lactose is hydrolyzed by intestinal lactase to monosaccharides (ie, glucose, galactose) which are absorbed systemically by uptake of the sodium-dependent glucose carrier; defect of this carrier result in severe diarrhea following carbohydrate intake

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Images

BRAND FORM. UNIT PRICE PILL IMAGE
Lactaid Fast Act oral
-
9,000 unit tablet
Dairy-Aid oral
-
3,000 unit tablet
Dairy-Aid oral
-
3,000 unit tablet
Dairy Relief oral
-
3,000 unit tablet
Dairy Digestive oral
-
9,000 unit tablet
Lactase Fast Acting oral
-
9,000 unit tablet

Copyright © 2010 First DataBank, Inc.

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Patient Handout

A Patient Handout is not currently available for this monograph.
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Medscape prescription drug monographs are based on FDA-approved labeling information, unless otherwise noted, combined with additional data derived from primary medical literature.