Signs & Symptoms of Dairy Allergy
Dairy allergies are a common problem among infants, but 80 percent of affected children will grow out of the allergy by age 6. However, adults can develop a dairy allergy at a later age. Many affected individuals do not even realize they have a dairy allergy because dairy exists in almost every food, especially processed foods. Luckily, there are certain symptoms that tip off a dairy allergy.
Other People Are Reading
-
Dairy Allergies vs. Lactose Intolerance
-
First and foremost, a dairy allergy is not the same thing as lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is defined as having a lack of the enzyme, lactase, needed to break down lactose found in dairy foods. A dairy allergy is defined by the body's immune system recognizing casein and whey proteins as foreign substances and sending histamines and antibodies to kill off the "foreign" invaders.
Many people are lactose intolerant and can use a lactose aid to help digest dairy products. Occasionally, lactose intolerance can lead to a dairy allergy due to damage done to the gastrointestinal tract.
Symptoms
-
Symptoms of a dairy allergy include skin rashes, hives, eczema, constipation, nasal congestion and in the most severe cases, anaphylactic shock. Symptoms of lactose intolerance are stomach cramping, bloating, diarrhea, nausea and headaches.
Intolerance will always make itself known through the GI tract while a dairy allergy tends to have more classic allergic skin reactions.
-
Causes
-
Dairy allergies are usually caused by the body's rejection of casein and whey, two proteins found in dairy products. Casein is essentially the curd that is left once milk is allowed to sour and whey is the watery byproduct of that souring.
As mentioned before, a person that has been lactose-intolerant for a long period of time may develop a dairy allergy as well. As dairy is consumed and poorly broken down, the GI tract becomes damaged. The body, in order to stave off this damage, will begin to send histamines and antibodies to the stomach whenever dairy is consumed.
Testing
-
In order to test whether you have a dairy allergy, try going on an elimination diet. For two weeks, avoid consuming all dairy products. To be clear, dairy products are anything that had its original source as milk from the cow. Eggs are not a dairy product but are commonly confused as one. Check all the labels on any processed foods as dairy is commonly used during the making of such foods.
While avoiding dairy foods, note whether your symptoms disappear. If they do, you may have an intolerance or allergy. Your doctor will then give you an allergy test to find out for sure if you are allergic or intolerant.
Treatment
-
For those who are allergic to dairy, you may simply have to avoid the foods from now on. Your doctor will inform you of dairy substitutes. Since dairy is our biggest source of calcium, make sure to take supplements or eat food that is rich in nutrients found in dairy.
-
