White snakeroot is a plant that contains chemicals that deactivate the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase. Humans who
consume milk from cows or goats that eat white snakeroot can
become ill. Symptoms of milk poisoning include vomiting,
abdominal pain, and tremors, which become worse after
exercise. Beyond childhood, most people do not express the
enzyme lactase that catalyzes the breakdown of lactose into
glucose and galactose. Consumption of milk can produce
symptoms similar to those of milk poisoning. After a period of
consumption of dairy foods, prebiotic adaptation (changes in the microbes in the
intestine) imparts lactose tolerance. Since dairy foods are a valuable source of calcium,
proteins, and vitamin D, considerable research has been conducted to characterize
adaptation.
Explain the similarities and differences between the effect of milk poisoning by white
snakeroot and lactose intolerance, and the possibility of prebiotic adaptation for each.