Makers of the product Bactose are calling attention to a health issue that affects millions—especially in communities of color: lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance affects over 36 million people in the United States, with the highest rates found in Black, Asian, Latino, and Indigenous populations. For decades, the standard advice has been to avoid dairy, rely on inconvenient fixes like lactase enzyme tablets or to substitute dairy with highly possessed dairy alternatives. Bactose offers something different: a long-term, gut-based solution that helps people digest real dairy again, in just seven days.
“We created Bactose because we knew people deserved better than just avoiding foods they love,” said Brandon Tendler, co-founder and CEO. “This isn’t about managing symptoms. It’s about restoring balance and freedom, especially for the communities that have been living around this problem, not through it.”
This avoidance creates a significant nutritional gap with far-reaching health consequences. Communities of color, who experience lactose intolerance at rates up to 90%, consistently fall short of USDA recommendations for calcium, vitamin D, and potassium—nutrients critical for cardiovascular health, blood pressure regulation, and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Research shows African Americans consume only 83% of recommended calcium and just 27% of recommended vitamin D, contributing to disproportionately higher rates of certain diseases. When dairy becomes off-limits, the resulting deficiencies don’t just weaken bones-they fuel the very chronic diseases that already disproportionately impact communities of color.
Bactose is the first probiotic of its kind designed to support the gut’s ability to break down lactose by introducing a specific strain of bacteria that naturally aids in the digestion of lactose directly in the gut. Users take it only twice daily for seven days, the beneficial bacteria will continue producing lactase for up to a month, allowing consumers to enjoy dairy without taking pills before every meal.
For people who have cut out dairy due to discomfort, Bactose can be a life-changer. Foods like cheese, yogurt, and milk offer key nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and high-quality protein. Bactose is helping restore access to those foods.
“We hear from people who haven’t had a slice of pizza or a scoop of ice cream in years,” said Tendler. “Unlike common probiotics that can take months to show results, this specialized probiotic which was specifically created to aid in the digestion of lactose, helps them enjoy dairy foods again in just one week, which has been unheard of until now.”
