Lactagen No More

I usually comment on comments inside that post, but this deserves a whole new post of its own. The news is that big.

That comment was in a post called Lactagen Response - It Worked for Her.

I took this stuff about four years ago now and still can drink milk now. It seems like it worked then and is still working fine. I do like my dairy very much. I do notice that if i over do it i still am fine. I was talking to a co-worker about this stuff and she wanted to get some but it is not for sale any more????? what happened??????

What's Lactagen? I've devoted huge blocks of text to it over the years. The first was one of the earliest posts I ever made in this blog, a full six years ago, Lactagen - Questions, No Answers. That started out with some eye-popping prose:

Lactagen claims to be a cure for lactose intolerance. That's right: a cure. Take the product for 38 days and you'll never be bothered by lactose again.

Except, oops.

UPDATE: Lactagen no longer uses the word “cure” in its marketing. Its website information has also changed since this was originally posted.

The quote from the Lactagen site also caught your attention:

Lactagen's™ one-time 38-day patent-pending formula allows the gradual and painless re-introduction of dairy into the digestive system. The program painlessly trains the body to be able to digest dairy products without the usual painful reactions. The combination of taking yogurt with live cultures, having meals with the formula, taking specific dosages and with the combination of Lactose, Tricalcium Phosphate, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, FOS and Cellulose Gum and Silica, the body learns how to digest dairy products.

So many more people wrote to me about Lactagen that I did a blockbuster post in 2007, Lactagen: The Big Update, compiling many of the testimonials to its effectiveness - or lack of.

And then in 2009 a quiet press release from Lactagen that I posted under the heading Lactagen Prepares to File For New Drug.

Ritter's first compound, RP-G28, has been developed for the treatment of lactose intolerance. RP-G28 will effectively stand out as the first FDA-approved drug for the treatment of lactose intolerance.

For me that was the biggest news, although I realize that few thought of it that way. I never understand how Lactagen worked. It's known that probiotics that contain certain forms of "good" bacteria have the ability to manufacture lactase in the colon. This lactase can digest the lactose that your body misses. So instead of fermenting and creating gas in the colon - the cause of most peoples' problem with lactose - the lactose is eliminated. This sounds great, except that establishing what's called a colony of those good bacteria in your colon is sometimes difficult and not always permanent. They can get pushed aside by other types of bacteria that ferment lactose. They also get killed off every time you take a dose of antibiotics. Several probiotic products are marketed to people with lactose intolerance, such as Digestive Advantage, that you are supposed to take daily because of this.

How did Lactagen achieve permanence? To this day I have no idea. That's why I've always been iffy about recommending it. I'm innately suspicious of anything I can't understand.

The folks at the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, know a thousand times more about the science than I do, though. If they gave approval to a treatment I would tell the world about it immediately.

Forward to 2011. And the comment that Lactagen can't be found anymore. So I hie over to the Lactagen site. And what I see there is very interesting.

Thank you for your interest in Lactagen® and Better Digestion™. Ritter Pharmaceuticals is no longer offering Lactagen® and its other dietary supplement products in order to focus on new products in the development pipeline. It is important to note that these products were not taken off the market due to health or efficacy concerns. We have enjoyed this opportunity to help thousands of individuals around the world find relief for their lactose intolerance symptoms.

One of these new exciting products in our pipeline is called RP-G28. RP-G28 is a second generation product geared towards treating the symptoms of lactose intolerance long-term. The product is currently being considered for FDA approval and is entering Phase 2 clinical trials. It stands to become the first prescription drug for the treatment of lactose intolerance. Ritter hopes to offer the first FDA approved treatment for the symptoms of lactose intolerance by 2014.

So Lactagen is gone - has been since January 2011, from what I gather - and Andrew Ritter is betting the whole company on that second-generation version he announced in 2009. Five years is hardly an unusual length of time to get FDA approval for a drug. (I dislike the term drug in this context, although I understand its use as shorthand. Probiotics are not drugs in the usual sense.)

Press releases on the site indicate that the treatment is getting favorable attention.

November 2, 2010

Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biological therapeutics company with a focus on digestive diseases, announced today that it has been awarded a grant by the United States government program, the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP).The QTDP grant supports the development of Ritter Pharmaceuticals' flagship product, RP-G28, as a treatment for the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

There were over 6,500 applicants seeking $1 Billion in grant funding. Ritter Pharmaceuticals received the maximum awarded amount per project. ...

A unique mechanism of action gives RP-G28 the potential to be the only therapeutic regimen designed to impact the natural factors of the disease and alleviate the symptoms of lactose intolerance on a long-term basis. Phase 2 clinical development is underway.

CenterWatch.com reports that volunteers for clinical trials are being sought. Those announcements were made on June 1, 2011 so I assume that the trials are already under way. I found a page with complete information about the trials on ClinicalTrialFeeds.org.

But the mills of the FDA grind slowly. Even under the best of circumstances you'll have to wait three more years. And that's assuming FDA approval. What if they don't approve? That happens with fair frequency. That's also why drugs are so expensive. The approval process takes money and time, which is also money. And the product has to live up to its claims.

Anything can happen in three years. I make no predictions. Not even as whether I'll be blogging to report on it.

Lactagen Prepares to File For New Drug

Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the makers of Lactagen, are gearing up for the release of a new drug for lactose intolerance. They've hired a new Chief Medical Officer in preparation for an IND, investigational new drug, filing with the FDA.

The company issued a press release on this.

Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Ritter) has hired Howard Foyt, M.D., Ph.D., FACP as its new Executive VP, Development & Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Foyt brings 13 years of expertise in drug development to Ritter, as the Company prepares to file an IND for its therapy for Lactose Intolerance.

Dr. Foyt will join Ritter's senior management team and oversee the Company's clinical development efforts. Ritter will take advantage of Dr. Foyt's leadership in drug development within big pharma and biotech companies. For the past three years, Dr. Foyt served as VP, Clinical Development and Chief Medical Officer at Metabasis Therapeutics, where he was responsible for five drugs in clinical development over multiple therapeutic areas. Dr. Foyt had previously worked at Pfizer, where he served as Senior Director and Site Head - Diabetes & Obesity, and earlier at Parke-Davis for over ten years participating in the clinical development of multiple drugs mainly in the metabolic disease field. Prior to joining Parke-Davis, Dr. Foyt was on the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX. He earned
his medical degree and Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Foyt completed his residency in internal medicine at Baylor and an endocrinology fellowship at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. ...

Ritter's first compound, RP-G28, has been developed for the treatment of lactose intolerance. RP-G28 will effectively stand out as the first FDA-approved drug for the treatment of lactose intolerance.

The Power of Probiotics

I write something about probiotics every few days, it seems. I gave a Primer on Probiotics that quoted Katherine Fisher:

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are small organisms that help maintain the natural balance of organisms (microflora) in the intestines also known as gut flora.

The normal human digestive tract contains about 400 types of bacteria that reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and promote a healthy digestive system.

The largest group of probiotic bacteria in the intestine is lactic acid bacteria, of which Lactobacillus acidophilus, found in yogurt and keifer is the best known. Yeast is also a probiotic substance. Probiotics are also available as dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria or yeast, with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as the most common microbes used.

And with Lactagen and Digestive Advantage being two probiotic products that are of huge interest to those with lactose intolerance, everyone should be interested.

But what if you want more than I can give you in a quick blog entry?

Just brand new, hot off the presses is The Power of Probiotics:
Improving Your Health with Beneficial Microbes, by Gary W. Elmer, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle; Lynne V. McFarland, PhD, Research Health Science Specialist, Puget Sound Veterans Administration, Health Services Research, and Development, Seattle, Washington; and Marc McFarland, Health Science Writer, Seattle, Washington.

The Haworth Press site gives this blurb:

The Power of Probiotics is a consumer-friendly guide to the selection and use of probiotics that have been proven effective in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. This jargon-free reference resource provides practical advice on how and when to use probiotics and how to select the best commercially available products, based on usefulness, quality, and safety, to lower the risk of disease and maintain a positive health image. The book offers objective information on evaluating product claims, making sense of regulations and labeling, and sorting through manufacturing and marketing issues.

The Power of Probiotics presents an expert review of the scientific evidence for probiotics, illustrated with summary tables and diagrams for quick reference. Each chapter starts with a series of FAQs with clear and concise answers before moving into more in-depth analysis from the book’s authors, who combine more than 20 years of research from the patient clinic and the bench laboratory with extensive experience in writing and translating medical articles for consumer-oriented publications. This unique book presents definitions and descriptions of probiotics and a history of their uses, a review of medical conditions prevented and/or treated by probiotics, available products (with brand names), uses with other medications, and risks and side effects.

I haven't seen the book yet - it's that new - but it sounds like a must to check out. When I do I'll report back if it has something to say about probiotics and dairy.

Lactagen: The Big Update

I may get more questions about Lactagen than any other single item.

That's not surprising. Lactagen makes the strongest claims about its effectiveness. It's website says that "Lactagen®'s patented one-time 38-day program is the only real solution to lactose intolerance." That's actually a milder version. It at one time touted itself as a cure for lactose intolerance.

Lactagen also spends an inordinate amount of money on advertising, marketing, and promotion. I bet that you'll see an ad for Lactagen in the Google ads section at the upper left of this screen, even when this article scrolls away. (I have no knowledge of and no control over what ads Google places there. It uses a keyword algorithm to decide what is appropriate.)

And Lactagen is upping the ante, according to a new press release.

Direct response television agency Atomic Direct has released a 60-second and a 120-second spot for Ritter Natural Sciences.

The testimonial-based spots are for Lactagen, a powder supplement program that reduces symptoms of lactose intolerance.

According to RNS, the ads aim to separate Lactagen from Lactaid and similar products they claim provide either temporary relief or, in some cases, no relief at all.

The spots feature real-life testimonials of lactose-intolerant people who have been symptom-free since taking the product.

The campaign began airing last month and can also be viewed at Lactagen’s Web site at www.lactagen.com.

Los Angeles-based RNS is a health nutraceutical company with a concentration in dietary supplements for the digestive system.

So. Does Lactagen work? And if so, how does it work?

That's not easy to answer. I can only find one objective news article amidst all the press releases.

The Washington Post examined Lactagen's claims in its "Claim Check" column of Nov. 25, 2005.

The Claim

Lactagen, a powdered supplement sold on the Web ( http://www.lactagen.com ; $129.95 [now $149.95] for a 38-day supply), resolves lactose intolerance -- an inability to digest the food sugar known as lactose that results from a deficiency of the digestive enzyme lactase -- once and for all. (Lactose intolerance has proven intractable because the lack of lactase is not reversible.) Mix the product with water or juice and consume it in increasing amounts over 35 days, says the company, and ice cream, pizza, cheese and milk are yours to relish.

Longtime lactose intolerant Andrew Ritter decided, at age 13, to devise a remedy for his ailment as a science-fair project. Encouraged by his science-fair success, Ritter ... tinkered for years (he's now 24), eventually coming up with Lactagen's brew of lactobacillus acidopholus (a "probiotic," or helpful bacterium, that's found in live yogurt cultures), lactose, phosphates, and gum and silica. Ritter cites an unpublished study in which 80 percent of 27 users reported improvement in their symptoms (which include gas, bloating, diarrhea and other unpleasantries) after 38 days, compared with 19 percent on placebo.

The Plausibility

Gastroenterologist Theodore Bayless, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says it's "conceivable" that a probiotic could beef up the digestive tract's bacteria population -- which could then produce protective enzymes that would shield against excess gas. But forget company claims about "calming the digestive system," he says; inflammation has nothing to do with lactose intolerance.

What do my correspondents say?

Mostly positive things.

● I just got done with the program. Previously, milk/cheese products would cause me to be sick for at least 3 days. Lactaid supplements barely worked. The day after I finished the program, I was able to drink a 14oz glass of milk in the morning, and eat some homemade lasagna that evening (lots of cheese). Goodbye to moderation. It's not recommended to hit the dairy that hard, but I'm impressed. - Joe

● I have been thru with the regime for 5 weeks now. I feel I am 80% cured. I no longer have the gas (and everyone in my office is grateful), but still have the loose stools after eating too much cheese (3 pieces of sandwich size Muenster cheese with crackers for lunch yesterday). It does not seem to compound itself the way it used to, tho. I am telling everyone I know about it and they are all watching my progress. I was concerned if it would work, since during the taking of the product, I was still having lots of gas. I was comforted by the money-back guarantee, and whenever I felt I was wasting 34 days taking this I thought about the fact I would get my money back. It also took me 38 days, as the first experience with milk had me right back in the bathroom.

So it is not a miracle cure for me, but it is definitely a "walking cast" and I am able to go where I want and eat what I want without too much worry - C.

● I happened across your article this evening. I followed the program to the letter, and it has been a godsend to me. I was lactose intolerant for 15 years, and now I eat almost all dairy with absolutely no side effects. I say almost, as for some reason aged fresh-grated cheeses still do bother me a bit, though a milkshake or slice of cheesecake is no problem. I'd do it again in a moment and would recommend it to anyone. I wish I'd discovered it prior to spending about $5k on nearly daily lactaid over the years! I refused to give up dairy, but sure did pay the price, literally... - Karen

● I am approximately 4 weeks out of the lactagen program and I have had no trouble with milk, cheese, etc. Old habits die hard as I have to remind myself I can eat anything on the menu not just dishes I had taken to-go several times before I would even try it in the restaurant. There is one note to this, one must exercise caution directly after this program as I have been eating everything I haven't had in a decade and now I have to get a gym membership ;)

I would like to express my gratitude to the developer of the lactagen program! - Douglas

● I went through the program, and now recommend it wholeheartedly. I've been lactose intolerant for five or six years, and while lactaid type products helped initially, I had little luck with them after a few years. Skeptical at first (the price tag seems high) I decided to try Lactagen--fully expecting to ask for a refund when it didn't work. I even had a bout with the flu in the middle of the 38 day regime, and went off the program for three days. I picked up exactly where I left off with no problem. Apprehensively I started adding dairy to my diet and then even abused the privilege. Even though nervous (I kept waiting for the nausea, cramps and gas to reappear) I kept eating dairy. It's been about three months and I am still eating dairy (though I admit real butter tastes odd) with no apparent effect. Lactagen has worked for me, so far, much better than I ever imagined. - Bill

And a few negative.

● I recently took Lactagen for the recommended time and - NO DIFFERENCE!!! I'm still suffering with same effects from dairy intake. It actually seems worse! - Cheryl

● I ordered Lactagen and followed the directions perfectly, ate the yogurt like I was supposed to and after 39 days introduced the dairy back into my diet and ate dairy faithfully every week. The problem I ran into was after about 2 months I once again began having lactose intolerance symptoms, bloating, diarrhea, but I also get flu like symptoms, general malaise, and lack of energy and an overall draggy feeling like a hangover or early flu stage. I went back on the lactagen again and have continued to take 2-3 large scoops per day and more if I ingest a large amount of dairy. - Norrene

● By the way, I did the Lactagen program a year ago; at first it worked; I was ecstatic. Then it wore off. However, the Lactaid pills now work extremely well for me whereas before Lactagen, they did not! AND, I can also tolerate small amounts of milk products without anything... So if others ask, that's my experience with it. - Judy

● I recently visited your web page and noticed that you were soliciting responses about Lactagen so I wanted to share my experience.

The short explanation is it did not work. I originally purchased the product and followed the program exactly. However, I still had symptoms. Over the course of the next 2 months I periodically spoke to Lactagen representatives. None seemed to have a consistent answer to what I should do. Some told me that it was typical to have symptoms and that I should just continue on with the process while others advised me to return to a previous day (hence extending my time on the program). Once I had "completed" the program, I was not able to eat any dairy products without symptoms.

After a couple of months I decided to try it again. I called Lactagen and was charged shipping for a new canister to be sent to me (based on the money back guarantee) and began the process again. I finally gave up after 9 weeks of constant symptoms. Although the representatives were friendly, they rarely gave any insight into why I was still having symptoms and normally just suggested that I return to a few days earlier on the program.

It was, by far, the most frustrating experience of my "lactose intolerant" life. I am severely lactose intolerant. I cannot ingest any amount of dairy without having a reaction, so the thought of a cure was amazing. Unfortunately that was not the case. - Bab

More positives than negatives overall.

I've only included comments received via email since late 2005. For earlier comments, see my previous blog entries about Lactagen: Lactagen Response - It Worked for Her and Lactagen - Questions, No Answers

Bottom line. If you can afford it, then certainly give it a try. Remember, though, it's a solution - to the symptoms of lactose intolerance - not a cure. You can still overwhelm your system with too much dairy. And the same things that knock out any intestinal bacteria - a gastrointestinal illness, a course of antibiotics - will probably also wipe out the Lactagen probiotics.

Are there less pricy alternatives? Yes. I'll take a look at one of them tomorrow.

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Everyone who has lactose intolerance should know by now that one of the major sources of symptoms can be the bacteria that live in your colon. More than 500 known species of bacteria have been found living in people, and like any group of 500 you find a range from the very good to the very bad.

For us, the bad bacteria are the ones that ferment any lactose that reaches them. The fermentation process releases gas, just like it does when beer is made. And you probably know all too well what the gas can do.

You can change the "bad" bacteria into "good" bacteria, the type that digests lactose rather than ferments it by using probiotics. Probiotics, literally "for life" contain the good bacteria and the idea is that the good bacteria will dominate the bad ones. I've written many times before about probiotics. The live and active cultures in yogurt are probiotics. You can also buy the bacteria in pill form in such products as Digestive Advantage and Lactagen.

What are prebiotics? Wesley Canfield of the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center talks about them in his column.

Prebiotics ("before life") are nondigestible or fiber components of foods, usually complex carbohydrates that beneficially affect the host by stimulating the growth of intestinal bacteria. Certain bacteria prefer a particular prebiotic to use as a source of energy.

There are some potentially major advantages to eating more prebiotics, he says.

In addition to making vitamins, intestinal bacteria also produce other nutrients of benefit. We've all heard advice about limiting our intake of fats, especially saturated ones. However, not all saturated fats are bad for us. Many of the gut bacteria ferment digestion-resistant fiber to short-chain saturated fatty acids. These fats have two to four carbon atoms.

Acetate, propionate and butyrate all are examples of SCFA. Some scientists estimate that up to 10 percent of a person's daily energy needs can be met by using the SCFA as fuel. Butyrate, in particular, has been shown to have anti-cancer effects in animals. In addition, a probiotic containing butyrate-producing bacteria also reduced cancer formation in an animal model.

Another way of increasing butyrate production by intestinal bacteria is to eat prebiotics similar to the high-galactose type found in breast milk. Inulin, for example, is a type of high-fructose, nondigestible fiber that is present in wheat and onions. Many studies in both humans and animals have demonstrated the bifidobacteria-promoting benefits of inulin and other high-fructose prebiotics.

Prebiotics and probiotics. All part of a good healthy diet. Eat enough of them and hopefully you won't have to take any antibiotics.

Lactagen Response - It Worked for Her

In response to my earlier post -Lactagen: Questions, No Answers, I received an email from Patricia S. She gave me permission to post her message her on the Planet Lactose blog and also on the Lactagen page on my website.

I found your site through the Lactagen website and saw that if someone went through the program that you wanted them to email you with all the details, so that's why I'm writing.

There's really nothing to tell other than it worked. I had been lactose intolerant for almost 4 years, got an email that was advertising Lactagen and various other products. Normally I would've trashed the email but when I saw the word lactose I figured I might as well read it. I checked out the website and thought to myself that it was expensive however it it worked then it was worth the money and if it didn't there was a 6 month money back guarantee. So either way I couldn't lose. My total cost with shipping & tax was $148 and change.

I followed the program to a "t" and didn't have any problems until the very last day when I had my last 12 ounce glass of milk. Got all the symptoms as if I just ate a hunk of cheese (bloating, massive diarrhea) except the massive and painful cramping. After my ordeal (when I was free of the bathroom), I called the Lactagen company up and one of their experts asked what I had for dinner with the milk. I told him, and there was absolutely nothing I ate that had any trace of dairy in it. So we talked for a bit, he asked my symptoms, and when I said I did not have any of the severe cramping that I normally did he said it was probably something I ate that just upset my system and to restart the last 3 days of the program were you just drink the various ounces of milk but also to introduce one other think of dairy into my diet like having a cheeseburger for lunch one day, cheesecake the next day, etc. This seemed to work and so far I have been able to eat dairy with no problems at all!

So for your reference the Lactagen program really does work!

And a follow-up:

I forgot to mention that prior to trying Lactagen, I did try Lactaid and Ultra Lactaid pills and for the first few years it worked about 99% of the time, then it started dropping and by last July 2004 it completely stopped. Basically, it was just a band-aid, a very temporary band-aid. And of course, it was at the worse possible time...while I was on a cruise! Let me tell you, it was not too fun watching everyone else eat all those yummy meals & desserts that I couldn't have!

So if you want, you can add this to your website/blog so if someone reads it they will know that I did use the Lactaid pills. Basically, it was just a band-aid, a very temporary band-aid.

I'm for whatever works for people without hurting them. If you have more comments or questions about Lactagen, be sure to leave a comment.

Lactagen - Questions, No Answers

I get more questions about Lactagen than any other single topic these days. Somebody is doing a remarkable job of marketing and promotion.

Lactagen claims to be a cure for lactose intolerance. That's right: a cure. Take the product for 38 days and you'll never be bothered by lactose again. [UPDATE: Lactagen no longer uses the word “cure” in its marketing. Its website information has also changed since this was originally posted.]

Lactagen's™ one-time 38-day patent-pending formula allows the gradual and painless re-introduction of dairy into the digestive system. The program painlessly trains the body to be able to digest dairy products without the usual painful reactions. The combination of taking yogurt with live cultures, having meals with the formula, taking specific dosages and with the combination of Lactose, Tricalcium Phosphate, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, FOS and Cellulose Gum and Silica, the body learns how to digest dairy products.

On the surface, Lactagen doesn't appear to be very different from other acidophilus products aimed at those with LI, such as DairyCare (my website page / DairyCare homepage) or Digestive Advantage (my website page/ Digestive Advantage homepage). What hits my eyeballs with fireworks is the claim of a permanent cure.

How can this possibly work? Here's my speculation.

There are two sources in the body for the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Undigested lactose pulls water into the intestines, creating possible diarrhea. And that undigested lactose can be fermented in the colon by the bacteria that naturally live there, producing the gases that can cause bloating, cramps, and flatulence.

But other types of bacteria actually digest the lactose. These types include Lactobacillus acidophilus as well as the bacterial cultures that are used in yogurt. If you have yogurt regularly you can push out the "bad" bacteria and colonize the "good" bacteria in their place. Result: greatly diminished symptoms if you eat or drink any lactose.

Lactagen seems to use the same effect. Here's how the site describes the regimen:

Step 1: Starting Lactagen™
Starting the program is simple. Most importantly the program is specifically set-up to minimize any lactose intolerant symptoms which might occur. Dissolve the Lactagen™ patent-pending proprietary blend in 4 to 6 ounces of water and drink it with your meals. After the proprietary blend is dissolved, the product turns clear and tastes a little sweet. Consume yogurt (with "live cultures") during the first three days to supplement the blend. We recommend not eating any dairy products during the six weeks unless specifically stated in the protocol.

Step 2: The Lactagen™ Program
Lactagen™ is taken with dinner for 18 days, and then with breakfast and dinner for another 16 days. On the final 4 days, milk and then other dairy products are re-introduced into the diet. The complete Lactagen™ process takes 38 days. A full transition to dairy products begins on day 39. Individuals are then free to eat whatever dairy they desire - symptom free!

Step 3: Follow up to the Lactagen™ Process
After completing all 38 days, start slowly re-introducing dairy products into your diet. There will be no need for lactase supplement pills or further use of Lactagen™. For the next six to eight weeks, you should have a healthy serving of dairy on a weekly basis. It is important to continue having dairy periodically to maintain tolerance.

There's no reason this shouldn't work. My big question, though, is very simple: wouldn't this work exactly as well just by eating yogurt and skipping the Lactagen?

This is a very big question, because - as you might expect of a product that claims you only need to take it once and be cured forever - it costs a lot of money. $149.95, to be exact, as of March 2009. Not including possible tax and shipping.

For a true cure, of course, this is a trifling amount. A few bottles of lactase will run you this much in not too long a time.

If you want to order, you can call 1- 888-DAIRY-OK (888-324-7965) or order through the link on their home page.

For more info, email them at questions@lactagen.com.

And if you do go through the whole 38-day program, please let me know all the details by emailing me at stevecarper@cs.com.