Milk Ranked Among the Top Eight Offenders for Food Allergies
Cow's milk contains over 25 different molecules, which have the
potential to elicit an allergic reaction. No wonder milk is
repeatedly ranked among the top eight offenders for food
allergies! In fact, many doctors, scientists, and health
specialists recommend going dairy free as an initial test when a
food allergy is suspected.
What Exactly is a Milk Allergy?
Although they are often muddled together in conversation, milk
allergies and lactose intolerance are quite different. A food
allergy is identified as an abnormal and heightened response of
the immune system to certain components (most notably proteins)
within a food. In milk, the two leading allergy offenders are
the milk proteins known as casein and whey. Casein is the curd
that forms when milk is left to sour. Whey is the watery part
that is left after the curd is removed. A food intolerance is
when you develop symptoms after eating a food that your body
can't cope with effectively, but it does not involve an immune
response.
Some scientists believe that there is only one type of "true
food allergy" while others report studies of two, three, and
even four variations of food allergies. For simplicity sake we
will just note the two most commonly sited allergy categories:
immediate hypersensitivity reaction and delayed hypersensitivity
reaction. In immediate hypersensitivity situations symptoms may
begin to appear within minutes of ingesting the offending food.
Like the way your friend's Aunt Martha blows up like a balloon
the second she takes a bite of that chocolate bar laced with
peanuts. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions have received little
attention until recently, so not too much is known about them as
of yet. It is believed that these types of reactions elicit a
different response from the immune system than the immediate
hypersensitivity. With delayed hypersensitivity, symptoms have
an onset time of 6 to 24 hours after eating an offending food,
tend to reach their peak at about 48 hours, and gradually
subside over 72-96 hours. For both immediate and delayed
reactions, symptoms may be very mild, and even go unnoticed
(i.e. rash or eczema), or they may be quite severe (i.e. Aunt
Martha).
How Common are Milk Allergies?
It was previously thought that milk allergies occurred only in
infants, and that the problem subsided prior to adulthood.
Unfortunately, for many of us this just isn't so. The numbers
are all over the board, but it is estimated that anywhere from 2
to 7.5% of infants have an allergy to cow's milk. Studies show
that approximately 60% of infants allergic to cow's milk will
"outgrow" the allergy by the age of 4, 80% by the age of 6.
Bonus for those people, but this leaves up to 4.5 million people
in the U.S. alone with a potential milk allergy. This is more
than "just a few" people by our estimates. To complicate things
further, it seems that it is possible for adults to develop a
milk allergy with no childhood history of allergies. Another
interesting fact, symptoms associated with milk allergy have the
potential to morph over time. One study followed a group of milk
allergic children and found that at the beginning of the study
most of the children had primarily gastrointestinal symptoms
(vomiting, diarrhea), but by the end of the study, many had
switched over to respiratory symptoms such as wheezing.
What are the Symptoms of Milk Allergies?
Similar to other food allergies, the majority of milk allergy
symptoms can be lumped into three "reaction" categories:
Skin: Itchy, Red Rash; Eczema; Hives; "Shiners" or Black Eyes;
Aphthous Ulcers (canker sores) Swelling of the Lips, Mouth,
Tongue, Face, or Throat.
Digestive: Abdominal Pain; Abdominal Cramps; Abdominal Bloating;
Diarrhea; Gas; Nausea; Vomiting.
Respiratory: Runny Nose / Congestion; Sneezing; Watery Eyes;
Itchy Eyes; Coughing; Wheezing; Shortness of Breath; Recurrent
"colds"; Sinusitis.
To the pleasant surprise of many "psychological" sufferers,
current research has uncovered a fourth category of symptoms,
known as Behavioral. Many doctors now believe that food
allergies, including dairy, could be a direct cause of fatigue,
migraine headaches, hyperactivity (ADHD), irritability,
night-waking, anxiety, and sore muscles and joints
As noted above, these symptoms may be mild or severe and life
threatening; they could appear immediately or over a period of
several days; and they may vary in response based on mild,
moderate, and large quantities of milk intake.
How Do I Know if I Have a Milk Allergy?
There are many different types of clinical allergy tests
available, all with varying levels of effectiveness, but many
doctors are moving towards elimination diets. An elimination
diet can easily identify a negative effect to a food, whether it
is an allergy, intolerance, or a pure mystery, regardless of
what the individual test results say. Doctors and patients are
often pleased with this method as it is simple, free, highly
effective, and tailored to the individual.
Can Milk Allergies Be Treated?
As with most allergies, avoiding the offending substance is the
top recommended treatment.