Understanding and Managing Dairy Allergy

An allergic reaction to proteins found in cow's milk, which can cause severe health issues in sensitive individuals.
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Allergology | Nutritional Science | Public Health | Milk Protein Allergy | Anaphylaxis | Dairy-free Living
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Dr. Helena Rodriguez

Dairy Allergy FAQ


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What is a dairy or milk allergy?

A dairy or milk allergy occurs when a person’s body experiences an immune reaction to the proteins present in milk. Their immune system recognizes the proteins as foreign, similar to a pathogen such as bacteria, triggering an immune response with symptoms ranging from mild to very severe.

What are the symptoms of a dairy allergy?

This can cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. People may also confuse a dairy allergy with cow’s milk protein intolerance (CMPI). However, CMPI symptoms typically take longer to manifest, while allergy symptoms usually appear within minutes to hours.

Can a dairy allergy cause life threatening symptoms?

Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include many body systems. A dairy allergy is sometimes confused with lactose intolerance because the two share some of the same symptoms. However, unlike a dairy allergy, lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system and does not cause life-threatening symptoms.

Why do people get allergic to dairy products?

The allergic symptoms people experience are due to how their body reacts to proteins present in the dairy product. For example, in cow’s milk, two main proteins called whey and casein can cause an allergic reaction in some people. These allergens trigger an immune-mediated response in the body as the immune system attempts to fight them.

Dairy Allergy References

If you want to know more about Dairy Allergy, consider exploring links below:

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