LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE

CAS number    10039-26-6
EC number    200-559-2

Synonyms:
LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE; LACTOSE MONOHİDRATE; Lactose monohydrate; 5989-81-1; alpha-D-Lactose monohydrate; alpha-Lactose monohydrate; a-Lactose monohydrate; 64044-51-5; UNII-EWQ57Q8I5X; D-Lactose monohydrate; alpha-lactose hydrate; Lactose, monohydrate; Lactose monohydrate [NF]; EWQ57Q8I5X; alpha-D-Glucopyranose, 4-O-beta-D; galactopyranosyl-, monohydrate; Lactose monohydrate (NF); ALPHA-LACTOSEMONOHYDRATE; a-D-Glucopyranose, 4-O-b-D-galactopyranosyl-, monohydrate; Lactose Monohydrate (Alpha-Form); Microtose; Pharmaose; Respitose; MFCD00150747; 10039-26-6; Spherolac 100; alpha-D-Lactose, monohydrate, ACS reagent; Alpha-lactose,monohydrate; Lactose (TN); alpha-D-Lactose monohydrate, USP/NF, Ph.Eur., JP; (2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxane; 3,4,5-triol;hydrate; Lactose(Monohydrate); Lactose (JP17); (2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyran-3-yl]oxy-tetrahydropyran-3,4,5-triol; SCHEMBL16787; D-Glucose, 4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-, monohydrate; laktoz monohidrat; lactoze monohydrate; lactos monohydrate; LAKTOZ MONOHİDRAT

LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE
Lactose monohydrate is a type of sugar found in milk.

Due to its chemical structure, it’s processed into a powder and used as a sweetener, stabilizer, or filler in the food and pharmaceutical industries. You may see it on the ingredient lists of pills, infant formulas, and packaged sweet foods.

Yet, because of its name, you may wonder whether it’s safe to consume if you have lactose intolerance.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the uses and side effects of lactose monohydrate.

What is lactose monohydrate?
Lactose monohydrate is the crystalline form of lactose, the main carb in cow’s milk.

Lactose is composed of the simple sugars galactose and glucose bonded together. It exists in two forms that have different chemical structures — alpha- and beta-lactose (1).

Lactose monohydrate is produced by exposing alpha-lactose from cow’s milk to low temperatures until crystals form, then drying off any excess moisture (2, 3, 4).

The resulting product is a dry, white or pale yellow powder that has a slightly sweet taste and smells similar to milk (2).

SUMMARY
Lactose monohydrate is created by crystallizing lactose, the main sugar in cow’s milk, into a dry powder.

Uses of lactose monohydrate
Lactose monohydrate is known as milk sugar in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

It has a long shelf life, slightly sweet taste, and it’s highly affordable and widely available. What’s more, it easily mixes with numerous ingredients.

As such, it’s commonly used as a food additive and filler for drug capsules. It’s primarily used for industrial purposes and not typically sold for home use. Thus, you may see it on ingredient lists but won’t find recipes that call for it (5Trusted Source).

Fillers like lactose monohydrate bind to the active drug in a medication so that it can be formed into a pill or tablet that can be easily swallowed (6Trusted Source).

In fact, lactose in some form is used in over 20% of prescription medications and over 65% of over-the-counter drugs, such as certain birth control pills, calcium supplements, and acid reflux medications (4).

Lactose monohydrate is also added to infant formulas, packaged snacks, frozen meals, and processed cookies, cakes, pastries, soups, and sauces, as well as several other foods.

Its primary purpose is to add sweetness or act as a stabilizer to help ingredients that don’t mix — such as oil and water — stay together (7Trusted Source).

Finally, animal feed often contains lactose monohydrate because it’s a cheap way to increase food bulk and weight (8).

SUMMARY
Lactose monohydrate may be added to animal feed, medications, baby formulas, and packaged desserts, snacks, and condiments. It acts as a sweetener, filler, or stabilizer.

Possible side effects
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers lactose monohydrate safe for consumption in the amounts present in foods and medications (9)Trusted Source

However, some people have concerns about the safety of food additives. Even though research on their downsides is mixed, some have been linked to adverse effects. If you prefer to stay away from them, you may want to limit foods with lactose monohydrate (10Trusted Source, 11).

What’s more, individuals with severe lactose intolerance may wish to avoid or limit their intake of lactose monohydrate.

People with this condition don’t produce enough of the enzyme that breaks down lactose in the intestines and may experience the following symptoms after consuming lactose (12Trusted Source):

bloating
excessive burping
gas
stomach pain and cramps
diarrhea
While some have suggested that lactose-containing medications could cause unpleasant symptoms, research suggests that people with lactose intolerance can tolerate the small amounts of lactose monohydrate found in pills (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

However, if you have this condition and are taking medications, you may wish to speak with your medical provider about lactose-free options, as it may not always be clear whether a drug harbors lactose.

Finally, some individuals may be allergic to the proteins in milk but can safely consume lactose and its derivatives. In this case, it’s still important to consult a healthcare professional to ensure that products with lactose monohydrate are safe for you.

If you’re concerned about lactose monohydrate in food, be sure to carefully read food labels, especially on packaged desserts and ice creams that may use it as a sweetener.

SUMMARY
While lactose monohydrate is considered safe for most people, consuming it in excess may cause gas, bloating, and other issues for those with lactose intolerance.

powered by Rubicon Project
The bottom line
Lactose monohydrate is a crystallized form of milk sugar.

It’s commonly used as a filler for medications and added to packaged foods, baked goods, and infant formulas as a sweetener or stabilizer.

This additive is widely considered safe and may not cause symptoms in those who are otherwise lactose intolerant.

However, those with severe lactose intolerance may wish to avoid products with this additive to be safe.

Description
Catalogue Number    107656
Synonyms    Milk sugar, Lactobiose
Product Information
CAS number    10039-26-6
EC number    200-559-2
Grade    Ph Eur,BP,NF,JP
Hill Formula    C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ * H₂O
Molar Mass    360.32 g/mol
HS Code    1702 11 00
Structure formula Image    Structure formula Image
Quality Level    MQ500
Physicochemical Information
Ignition temperature    390 °C
Melting Point    202 °C
pH value    4.0 - 6.5 (100 g/l, H₂O, 20 °C)
Bulk density    500 kg/m3
Solubility    161 g/l
Toxicological Information
LD 50 oral    LD50 Rat > 10000 mg/kg
Safety Information according to GHS
RTECS    OD9625000
Storage class    11 Combustible Solids
WGK    WGK 2 obviously hazardous to water
Disposal    3
Relatively unreactive organic reagents should be collected in container A. If halogenated, they should be collected in container B. For solid residues use container C.

Lactose Monohydrate

What is it?
Lactose (C12H22O11) is milk sugar. It is a disaccharide composed of one galactose and one glucose molecule. In the pharmaceutical industry, lactose is used to help form tablets because it has excellent compressibility properties. It is also used to form a diluent powder for dry-powder inhalations. Lactose may be listed as lactose hydrous, lactose anhydrous, lactose monohydrate, or lactose spray-dried.[1]

People who are lactose intolerant do not have the enzymes needed to digest lactose. Most medications do not contain enough lactose to cause lactose intolerance. But some patients with severe lactose intolerance may experience symptoms. Lactose can be found in birth control pills, and some OTC drugs to treat stomach acid or gas.[2] Patients who are specifically "allergic" to lactose (not just lactose intolerant) should not use tablets containing lactose, or ask their health care provider prior to use.

Molecular Weight of Lactose Monohydrate:    360.31 g/mol    Computed by PubChem 2.1 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    9    Computed by Cactvs 3.4.6.11 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    12    Computed by Cactvs 3.4.6.11 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Rotatable Bond Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    4    Computed by Cactvs 3.4.6.11 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Exact Mass of Lactose Monohydrate:    360.126776 g/mol    Computed by PubChem 2.1 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Monoisotopic Mass of Lactose Monohydrate:    360.126776 g/mol    Computed by PubChem 2.1 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Topological Polar Surface Area of Lactose Monohydrate:    191 Ų    Computed by Cactvs 3.4.6.11 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Heavy Atom Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    24    Computed by PubChem
Formal Charge of Lactose Monohydrate:    0    Computed by PubChem
Complexity of Lactose Monohydrate:    382    Computed by Cactvs 3.4.6.11 (PubChem release 2019.06.18)
Isotope Atom Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    0    Computed by PubChem
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    10    Computed by PubChem
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    0    Computed by PubChem
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    0    Computed by PubChem
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    0    Computed by PubChem
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count of Lactose Monohydrate:    2    Computed by PubChem
Compound  of Lactose Monohydrate Is Canonicalized    Yes