Question

Once M’Kenna’s small intestine healed, she started eating foods with dairy again and these foods no longer made her sick. Lactase is an enzyme that helps break down foods with dairy. In a healthy system, lactase is released from the tips of the villi in the small intestine. Using this information, make a prediction for why the damage caused by celiac disease causes problems when a person eats dairy.

Answer 1

Damage to the villi means less lactase released, so the body can't break down dairy.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the small intestine is damaged, then that can mean that the villi are damaged. The villi usually release lactase, so this process will be compromised.

Less lactase released means that the body will have less of the enzyme required to break down lactose, the sugar present in dairy. Thus, individuals with celiac disease will struggle to digest dairy products