# Why doesn't Leonard take lactase pills? (Big Bang Theory) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283 "2012-01-31T06:45:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/1 "2012-01-31T06:45:25Z")
Why doesn’t Leonard take lactase pills? I know his lactose intolerance is part of his “charm”, but even without know-it-all Sheldon, M.D. Bernardette and Biologist Amy, he has to know the magic pills exist. Is there an in-show explanation? It’s one of those tiny things that bug me about the show. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/2 "2012-01-31T06:48:53Z")
If he took the pills, how would Sheldon crack all those unfunny dairy jokes? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/3 "2012-01-31T14:39:07Z")
Is Bernadette an M.D.? I thought she was a PhD in Mol.Bio. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/4 "2012-01-31T14:55:04Z")
Wait a minute. Lactose intolerance is “charming”? (Obviously, I don’t watch the show.) I’m lactose intolerant. I don’t take lactase pills because they don’t work. For me. If they work for somebody else, great, but they don’t for me, and apparently not for this Leonard fellow either. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/5 "2012-01-31T15:04:36Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Why doesn’t Leonard take lactase pills? > I know his lactose intolerance is part of his “charm”, but even without know-it-all Sheldon, M.D. Bernardette and Biologist Amy, he has to know the magic pills exist. > > Is there an in-show explanation? > It’s one of those tiny things that bug me about the show. Bernadette isn’t an MD. though Dr. Stephanie Barnett who Leonard and others were into is. every character needs a flaw to pick on. don’t let thing bug you, it’ll suck the fun right out of the show. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/6 "2012-01-31T15:11:32Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Is Bernadette an M.D.? I thought she was a PhD in Mol.Bio. PhD in MicroBio ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/7 "2012-01-31T15:37:32Z")
What he really needs is a neck brace. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/8 "2012-01-31T16:48:37Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Wait a minute. Lactose intolerance is “charming”? (Obviously, I don’t watch the show.) > > I’m lactose intolerant. I don’t take lactase pills because they don’t work. For me. If they work for somebody else, great, but they don’t for me, and apparently not for this Leonard fellow either. If they at least hinted to “they don’t work for me” I’d be ok, but it seems to be lactase hasn’t been mentioned once. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/9 "2012-01-31T16:55:20Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > every character needs a flaw to pick on. Trouble is, whole episodes are based on Sheldon’s flaws, indeed on Sheldon’s obsessive-compulsions and fixations and general irrationality. I get that Jim Parsons is skilled enough to play such a character, but an episode that relies 95%+ on his foibles is tedious and, combined with excessive use of the laugh track, enough to put me off a show that ostensibly was written with my demographic in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/10 "2012-01-31T16:55:36Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Wait a minute. Lactose intolerance is “charming”? (Obviously, I don’t watch the show.) > > I’m lactose intolerant. I don’t take lactase pills because they don’t work. For me. If they work for somebody else, great, but they don’t for me, and apparently not for this Leonard fellow either. Ditto. They don’t work for me either. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/11 "2012-01-31T17:00:10Z")
Farting is always funny. It is a universal. (Except, of course, to those who don’t find it funny. But they don’t count, because finding farting funny is a universal. If that doesn’t make sense to you, then you don’t understand humanity.) Anything that gets in the way of a fart joke must be killed. If you see a fart joke denier on the road, kill it. Fart jokes are the ultimate in [universal humor](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=634518). Lactose intolerance produces farts. Therefore lactose intolerance is funny. If you don’t think so the villagers will rise up with their pitchforks and torches. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/12 "2012-01-31T17:06:37Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > every character needs a flaw to pick on. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Trouble is, whole episodes are based on Sheldon’s flaws, indeed on Sheldon’s obsessive-compulsions and fixations and general irrationality. I get that Jim Parsons is skilled enough to play such a character, but an episode that relies 95%+ on his foibles is tedious and, combined with excessive use of the laugh track, enough to put me off a show that ostensibly was written with my demographic in mind. i think that some comedy shows evolve like that. you start with giving a characters their nature and write plots for them. if a certain actor gets really good at their portrayal and that character has a nature easy to write for then they might take over the show in subsequent seasons. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/13 "2012-01-31T17:12:57Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Farting is always funny. It is a universal. Ah ha! It works on so many levels ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/14 "2012-01-31T17:29:26Z")
Farting is funny. Thats a given. But for Leonard its more about showing his flaws to contrast him with Penny. He can’t have manly flaws he has to have nerdy wimpy flaws. Instead of a life threatening allergy (which wouldn’t be funny), he gets gassy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/15 "2012-01-31T18:04:28Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Farting is funny. Thats a given. But for Leonard its more about showing his flaws to contrast him with Penny. He can’t have manly flaws he has to have nerdy wimpy flaws. Instead of a life threatening allergy ( **which wouldn’t be funny** ), he gets gassy. Well, they’ve certainly played Howard’s peanut allergy for laughs many times. He even ate a Payday bar to keep Leonard from going home before a surprise party was ready. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/16 "2012-01-31T19:44:37Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Well, they’ve certainly played Howard’s peanut allergy for laughs many times. He even ate a Payday bar to keep Leonard from going home before a surprise party was ready. That was a very good but not very believable sight gag. But with Leonard it is played up more for showing how unmanly he is. Usually in the form of emasculating him in front of Penny. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/17 "2012-01-31T19:53:20Z")
How come Raj is able to talk to women one micro-second after one molecule of alcohol comes in contact with his tongue? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/18 "2012-01-31T19:59:10Z")
> [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](#): > > How come Raj is able to talk to women one micro-second after one molecule of alcohol comes in contact with his tongue? It’s in his head. In the episode on the train he was able to talk with a just a fake beer (O’Douls probably) until it was pointed out to him it was fake and then he could not. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/19 "2012-01-31T20:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > How come Raj is able to talk to women one micro-second after one molecule of alcohol comes in contact with his tongue? Because just as his problem is psychological in the first place, so too is the cure. If he _thinks_ he’s drinking, it works. See also him chatting up Summer Glau while drinking near-beer. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283/20 "2012-01-31T20:36:14Z")
Heh. The same day this thread was started, Maximumble posted [this comic](http://maximumble.thebookofbiff.com/2012/01/30/301-tub/) 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-leonard-take-lactase-pills-big-bang-theory/611283.md?page=2)