Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Release: Patient Survey: More Than 80% Forced to Change Lifestyles Due to Lactose Intolerance

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - April 17, 2013) - According to a recent survey, eight out of ten people with mild to severe Lactose Intolerance (LI) are compelled to modify their diets and other daily activities in an effort to manage or forestall the symptoms of their disorder. Patients report that even with dietary changes many of them continue to experience symptoms, with 90% reporting that they have symptoms at least once per week and 50% have symptoms multiple times per week. When asked how LI impacts their lifestyles, patients said they go out less frequently and worry about being in public places in the event that symptoms should flare.

"Before I figured out that I couldn't process dairy foods, I was running to the bathroom all the time," said Lissa (full name withheld for privacy), a corporate product specialist and lactose intolerant patient. "It has been a slow process of modifying my diet to be able to go to work, out with friends, and more. I have even lied about not liking pizza to keep from getting sick," she added.

The survey was conducted by an independent research firm, Objective Insights, and included 1,000 patients with mild to severe LI and more than 30 physicians who treat patients with this disorder. Lactose Intolerance occurs when a person does not have adequate amounts of the enzyme lactase in their intestinal tract to properly digest lactose, which is a complex sugar found in milk and milk-containing products. Symptoms range from mild to severe abdominal cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea.

Lissa says she reads every label and turns away food at restaurants that she suspects has dairy in it. "If I am eating out, I have to avoid any meal that's complex. There are times I watch other people enjoy foods that I could only dream of enjoying." In addition to being very painful physically, Lissa says being Lactose Intolerant causes her to have "embarrassing side effects."

While many over the counter remedies and lactose free dairy products are marketed to provide dietary options, many LI patients report that those options are largely unsatisfactory, especially when dining out at restaurants or travelling. More research is needed to develop a treatment that would enable LI patients to consume dairy products without the symptoms they dread. Ritter Pharmaceuticals has conducted extensive research into understanding lactose intolerance and is committed to providing an effective therapy which may one day restore freedom of food choices to LI patients.

Ritter Pharmaceuticals (www.ritterpharmaceuticals.com)

Ritter is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics based upon colonic adaptation to treat gastrointestinal diseases with an initial focus on lactose intolerance. Colonic adaptation improves colon function by selectively increasing the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colonic ecosystem. Ritter is rapidly establishing itself as the world's leader in lactose intolerance research and development. Ritter's RP-G28 is the first investigational drug candidate to complete a Phase 2 clinical study for lactose intolerance, and may well be the first medical option available to LI patients some day.