E74: Other disorders of carbohydrate metabolism

E74.2: Disorders of galactose metabolism

Galactose occurs most notably in milk and dairy products.

In the body, certain proteins ensure that processes run better or more quickly. These proteins are also known as enzymes. The illness can be caused by a missing enzyme. As a result, you cannot process galactose properly. This illness can be hereditary. That means that other family members can also be affected.

If you cannot properly process galactose, you may sometimes not have any symptoms. But you may also be severely ill if you consume galactose. When the body processes galactose, specific substances come into being. These substances are not processed further as usual during the disease. They may thus accumulate in various organs and damage these. For example, the liver may not work properly or you may have problems with your eyes.