What Is The Difference Between Lactose Intolerance And Milk Allergy?
Posted by: Alan in Milk Allergies, tags: Allergy, Between, Difference, Intolerance, Lactose, Milk, What
Well, lactose intolerance is common and is what people usually mean when they talk about a “milk allergy” (a true allergy to milk is very rare, I’ve never seen one). Lactose intolerance causes, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea when you eat too much dairy (how much is too much? Depends on the person) and it’s caused by the gradual decrease in the amount of lactase (the enzyme that digests lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products) with age. It’s not serious, and it’s treated by either avoiding dairy or taking lactase supplements with any dairy products (which is easy; there is mild sold now that already has it added).
An actual allergy to milk would be an IgE related reaction and would cause things like itching, a rash, possible swelling (which can be very dangerous if it happens near the airway) and even anaphylaxis and circulatory collapse, but I’ve never met anyone who had a true allergy to milk – it’s very uncommon (especially since prior to the advent of modern medicine, this would have been fatal in early infancy when all you can eat is milk)
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September 30th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Infants who are allergic to cows milk have to drink soya milk instead.
My son goes to school with a girl who’s allergic to milk (a true allergy) and she carries an Epipen wherever she goes.
A few years ago a children’s nursery in the UK accidently gave a milk allergic toddler some milk and the child died, so it is serious when it occurs.