However, similarly to the case of prostate cancer, arguments have been made for the use of bioidentical estrogens like estradiol instead of DES for breast cancer.Oral DES at 0.25 to 0.5 mg/day is effective in the treatment of hot flashes in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.Although DES was used to support pregnancy, it was later found not to be effective for this use. Side effects
At more than 1 mg/day, DES is associated with high rates of side effects including nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, headache, and bloating (incidence of 15–50%). Breast changes and feminization
The pigmentation of the breast areolae are often very dark and almost black with DES therapy. The pigmentation that occurs with synthetic estrogens such as DES is much greater than with natural estrogens such as estradiol. The mechanism of the difference is unknown. Progestogens like hydroxyprogesterone caproate have been reported to reduce the nipple hyperpigmentation induced by high-dose estrogen therapy.In men treated with it for prostate cancer, DES has been found to produce high rates of gynecomastia (breast development) of 41 to 77%. Blood clots and cardiovascular issues
In studies of DES as a form of high-dose estrogen therapy for men with prostate cancer, it has been associated with considerable cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The risk is dose-dependent. A dosage of 5 mg/day DES has been associated with a 36% increase in non-cancer-related (mostly cardiovascular) deaths. In addition, there is an up to 15% incidence of venous thromboembolism.
Lactose intolerance is different from a milk allergy. Management is typically by decreasing the amount of lactose in the diet, taking lactase supplements, or treating the underlying disease. People are able to drink at least one cup of milk without developing symptoms, with greater amounts tolerated if drunk with a meal or throughout the day.Worldwide, around 65% of adults are affected by lactose malabsorption. Other mammals usually lose the ability to digest lactose after weaning and this was the ancestral state of all humans before the recent evolution of lactase persistence, which extends lactose tolerance into adulthood. Lactase persistence evolved in several populations independently, probably as an adaptation to the domestication of dairy animals around 10,000 years ago. Today the prevalence of lactose tolerance varies widely between regions and ethnic groups. The ability to digest lactose is most common in people of European descent, and to a lesser extent in parts of the Middle East and Africa. Traditional food cultures reflect local variations in tolerance and historically many societies have adapted to low levels of tolerance by making dairy products that contain less lactose than fresh milk. The medicalization of lactose intolerance as a disorder has been attributed to biases in research history, since most early studies were conducted amongst populations which are normally tolerant, as well as the cultural and economic importance of milk in countries such as the United States. Terminology
Lactose intolerance primarily refers to a syndrome with one or more symptoms upon the consumption of food substances containing lactose sugar.