Milk Drinkers are Mutants

One can reasonably say that humans are the most flexible creatures on the planet, able to adapt to almost any situation. One of the strangest adaptations is the ability to drink milk past childhood, which no other species of mammals can do. How did this happen? A mutation in human genetics makes it possible for about 40% of the world’s population to digest milk as an adult.

That seems like a small percentage considering all of the dairy products we consume, but it’s true that the natural state of adult humans is lactose intolerant. Most people assume they are allergic to milk, but this isn’t the case. Lactose intolerance means that your body is unable to break down the main sugar (lactose) in milk, which results in a variety of negative reactions.

According to recent research, the gene mutation mainly started about 7,500 years ago in a region between the central Balkans and central Europe due to the spread of dairy farming. Hand in hand, dairy farming and the ability to drink milk evolved as culture spread. This disputes the previously held theory that the mutation occurred in northern Europe due to a deficiency in vitamin D. The only other populations that underwent this process were similar groups of dairy farmers in Africa, the Middle East and south Asia.

So, all lactose sufferers take heart – you are normal, in the majority and not suffering from any allergy or disease. For those who can happily drink milk without any problems – welcome to the next evolution, you’re a mutant.