Milk Allergies are NOT the same as lactose intolerance
Milk allergies occur when the body triggers an immune response due to allergic antibodies against proteins found in cow’s milk. There are two types of milk protein: casein and whey. Casein, the solid component of milk, makes up 80% of milk protein and whey, the liquid part of milk, makes up the other 20%. Milk allergies most commonly show up early in life where many children outgrow the allergy by age five. However, a milk allergy can develop and persist at any
age. A milk allergy can cause symptoms such as skin rash/hives, swelling of the lips/throat, trouble breathing, vomiting etc. If an individual is having severe symptoms such as anaphylaxis, administer epinephrine by using an EpiPen. In order to manage a milk allergy, individuals should avoid consuming milk or items containing milk products by reading ingredient labels carefully or
consume dairy free alternative products such as soy milk, oat milk, almond milk coconut milk, etc.
Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest the sugar in milk called lactose due to a deficiency in the enzyme lactase which is produced in the small intestine. No immune response is triggered. Lactose intolerance usually occurs in adolescents and adults as the body produces less lactase as we get older resulting in decreased ability to digest milk and dairy products. It is
most common in people of African, Asian, Hispanic and American Indian descent. Dairy intolerance usually affects the digestive system causing symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, bloating, constipation, etc. In order to manage lactose intolerance, individuals should try to limit dairy intake by looking into consuming lactose free dairy products or take lactase tablets to aid in the digestion of lactose.
Photo Credits: https://healthyaggies.com/2019/04/12/milk-alternatives-do-you-know-the-options/