Lactose intolerance vs. milk protein allergy

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Lactose intolerance vs. milk protein allergy

Lactose intolerance vs. milk protein allergy fitatu

Are cow’s milk protein allergy and lactose intolerance the same thing? You will find out in this article. We also give you a hint as to what causes abdominal pain and what can have more serious consequences. How do you diagnose lactose intolerance and milk protein allergy? What to supplement your diet with if you cannot eat dairy? We encourage you to read on!

Lactose intolerance and milk protein allergy – what do they have in common? Both conditions cause you to feel unwell after consuming milk. In fact, both ailments are caused by exposure to different ingredients – sugar or milk protein. In this article, we will take a closer look at the mechanism behind allergies and intolerances and how to eliminate their symptoms. 

Lactose intolerance

What exactly is lactose? It is a simple sugar found in mammalian milk. It is made up of galactose and glucose. It occurs naturally in cow’s milk, but also in goat’s, sheep’s and human milk. The enzyme lactase is responsible for digesting this sugar. Its levels fluctuate, and babies have the highest levels of lactase. Lactase helps babies to digest their mother’s food so that they can develop properly. As they get older, there is less lactase, which makes it difficult to digest lactose and causes problems after drinking milk or eating dairy products. Lactase content also depends on the amount of dairy products consumed and even the breed. Lactose intolerance is therefore a reduced ability or lack of ability to break down lactose.

Types of lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance can be acquired or born with it. We distinguish between:

  • congenital lactase deficiency – from birth, the action of this enzyme is severely limited or the lactase is not active at all. This is a very rare type of intolerance.
  • primary lactose intolerance or adult-type lactase deficiency – the highest lactase activity is during infancy due to the way we eat – drinking mum’s milk. As we get older, the body starts to produce less and less lactase, making it difficult to digest lactose and causing a problem after drinking milk or eating dairy. This problem is widespread, affecting up to approx. 70% of the population.
  • Secondary lactase deficiency – a condition that is often temporary, which develops during intestinal diseases and injuries or with the presence of allergies and coeliac disease. You can read more about coeliac disease here.

Symptoms after lactose ingestion

Undigested lactose starts to ferment in the intestines, causing many unpleasant symptoms. These most commonly start to occur between 30 minutes and 2 hours after ingesting lactose. What symptoms are characteristic of lactose intolerance?

  • flatulence
  • gas,
  • discomfort, 
  • pain in the abdomen,
  • diarrhoea,
  • nausea.

Recognition of intolerance

Lactose intolerance is always diagnosed by a doctor. There are many methods of diagnosis, here are some of them:

  • hydrogen breath test,
  • faecal pH tests,
  • genetic tests,
  • elimination test – ideally carried out under the guidance of a dietician. It consists of excluding dairy and products containing lactose for a period of 2-3 weeks. Then gradually introduce them and see if any adverse symptoms occur.

Diet and lactose intolerance

When lactose intolerance is present from birth, lactose should be completely eliminated from the diet. Those who acquired the condition later should limit lactose. Small amounts should not cause unpleasant symptoms. In most people, it is only after exceeding 1 glass of milk that discomfort appears. A lactose-free diet is an effective solution for lactose intolerance. In addition to the diet, lactase sold as a medicine can be purchased to deal with intolerance. And where is lactose found? 

Dairy products

Apart from milk, you will find a high lactose content in yogurt, kefir, ice cream or dairy desserts. You will find less lactose in yellow and molded cheese and butter. In these products, the reduced lactose content is related to technological processes. There are an increasing number of products on the market that are declared lactose-free, and most often their packaging is colored purple. By choosing these products, you can be sure that there is no more than 0.01% lactose or 10 mg per 100 g of product.

Whey protein

Lactose is found in products that contain whey. Nowadays, protein supplements are also manufactured that do not contain lactose. This is always indicated on the packaging. You can read more about protein supplements in the article Protein powders – what to know. Take a look at the labels – products containing milk powder provide significant amounts of lactose. Often, over-consumption of these can cause a reaction from the body.

Medicines

You may also find lactose in the composition of medicines. It is very often used as a filler or part of the casing. You will find information about this on the package leaflet.

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Allergy to milk proteins

An allergy is an excessive immune reaction to external agents, e.g. milk proteins, grass pollen, and animal dander. This reaction is abnormal and the triggers of the allergy are not pathogenic or dangerous to the body. Allergic reactions after protein ingestion can occur in as little as two hours to as long as several days.

Symptoms after milk protein consumption in allergic persons

Symptoms most often appear already in very young children following the introduction of cow’s milk into the diet. In up to 90% of children, the allergy passes by the age of 3. However, this is not the rule; the allergy may only become active in adults. What are the symptoms?

  • skin symptoms – rash, symptoms similar to atopic dermatitis,
  • respiratory symptoms – pharyngitis, rhinitis, asthma, sleep apnoea,
  • gastro-intestinal symptoms – diarrhea, in the case of children, colic, and regurgitation.

A diet without cow’s protein

People with food allergies must refrain from eating the products that sensitize them. In the case of an allergy to milk proteins, it is necessary to completely eliminate the products that contain them. It is therefore necessary to exclude:

  • milk,
  • cheese and curd,
  • yogurts, kefirs, buttermilk,
  • butter,
  • all products with allergenic information on the packaging.

Allergy diagnosis

Allergy to milk proteins can be diagnosed by skin or blood tests. Allergy tests are always referred by an allergologist, who diagnoses the allergy. In young children, an interview with the doctor is often sufficient, as their diet consists mainly of milk.

Cross-reaction

People with an allergy to cow proteins may experience cross-reactions, i.e. allergic symptoms after eating products other than cow proteins that cause similar symptoms. Due to the similarity between cow’s milk proteins and sheep’s and goat’s milk, allergic symptoms may occur after ingestion. Such reactions can also occur through contact with cat hair or during the grass pollen season. 

What to replace dairy in the diet

It is important to remember that dairy is a source of protein and provides valuable micronutrients and vitamins such as calcium, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin D. When excluding dairy, it is important to supplement the diet with the missing ingredients e.g.: through meat, eggs, as well as plant-based dairy substitutes such as plant-based drinks and yogurts. Plant-based alternatives are often fortified with vitamin D and calcium. You will supplement potassium and vitamin A by eating fruit and vegetables (especially tomatoes or spinach). Our dairy-free recipe for a healthy dessert will also work great.

Chocolate millet pudding from plant milk fitatu

Fitatu® App

Not yet familiar with Fitatu®? Download the app from the Play Store or Apple Store and start taking charge of your health with us, especially if you are affected by lactose intolerance or a milk protein allergy! Do you want to have access to all the functionalities, including the Menu selection? Go for Fitatu® Premium! For blog readers, we have a special discount code: MILK-D. Go to https://www.fitatu.com/app/order-and-payment and claim a 20% discount on Fitatu® Premium annual plans. The code combines with other promotions. 

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  • Over 2,000 recipes plus dozens of new ones every month,
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Bibliography:

  1. Alergia pokarmowa u dzieci, Krzysztof Marek, Forum Medycyny Rodzinnej 2013, tom 7, nr 6, 349–354
  2. https://ncez.pzh.gov.pl/choroba-a-dieta/co-warto-wiedziec-o-alergii-pokarmowej/
  3. https://ncez.pzh.gov.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/nietolerancja-laktozy_v2.pdf 
  4. Lactose Intolerance in Adults: Biological Mechanism and Dietary Management, NIH Publication No. 14–7994 May 2014

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