Milk allergy versus milk intolerance: What’s the difference?

Believe it or not, there are some pretty major differences between allergies*, intolerances* and dislikes. For some, avoiding certain food types is simply a matter of preference, while others carefully watch over their food intake as a matter of life or death.

One food group that often gets mislabelled* as ‘unhealthy’ or ‘triggering’ is dairy, with people commonly attributing* unwanted symptoms to cow’s milk.

But dairy intolerances and allergies are entirely different concepts, and should only ever be diagnosed* by an accredited* health professional – not yourself after a long scroll on Google.

Emma Beckett, a food and nutrition scientist at FOODiQ Global explains the important differences between a milk allergy and milk intolerance.

From bloated bellies to debilitating* diarrhoea*, the unwanted physical symptoms often associated with drinking dairy are enough to deter people from the beverage altogether. But which symptoms signify a potentially dangerous allergy?

“An allergy to milk/dairy means you are having an immune-based response to one or more of the proteins in cows’ milk,” explains Beckett. “Allergies can be diagnosed through testing with a skin prick test.”

“[A milk allergy] can cause skin symptoms like hives, rashes, dermatitis* or eczema*, swelling of the face, respiratory* symptoms like wheezing or a persistent cough, and gastrointestinal* symptoms like pain, vomiting or diarrhoea, maybe even blood in stools*, or anaphylaxis* in severe cases,” says the food and nutrition scientist.

When it comes to spotting a milk intolerance, Beckett says symptoms usually impact a person’s gut* health and can vary in severity.

“Intolerances can be diagnosed through elimination* or testing the gases made in your gut when you eat dairy,” she says. “Symptoms of intolerance will be focused around the gut – discomfort and pain, including bloating*, cramps and diarrhoea*.”

Given the diverse* range of symptoms listed above, it’s easy to see how both an intolerance and allergy could negatively impact a person’s quality of life, productivity and dietary habits.

Depending on someone’s tolerance*, continuous exposure to milk could also impact their nutritional* intake and digestive functions in the long term. For allergies, the long-term risks are especially serious, “respiratory symptoms and anaphylaxis can be life-threatening,” Beckett adds.

Additionally, when allergy-induced skin symptoms are left untreated, they can become significantly painful and may lead to infections.

“For intolerances, there may be other options rather than avoiding milk, such as using lactose-free milk (if the intolerance is to lactose) and A1-protein-free milk,” Beckett says. One option to alleviate* symptoms is to switch to a2 Milk, a naturally A1 protein-free variety that is designed for easier digestion.

Are we born with a set tolerance of food groups, or do our preferences* and ability to digest* things such as dairy* change as we age? As Beckett explains, no two people experience an allergy or intolerance in the same way. “The onset* of allergies is a complex interplay* between genetics* and exposures*, so we can’t predict who will get allergies,” she says. “Some people have allergies when they are young and then grow out of them, but some people only display allergic symptoms* when older.”

If you are displaying symptoms of milk intolerance or an allergy, Beckett urges you to speak to your parent or guardian* about setting up an appointment with your GP*.

GLOSSARY

• allergies: adverse reactions of the immune system to substances that are usually harmless
• intolerances: adverse reactions to certain substances, often related to digestion, without involving the immune system
• mislabelled: incorrectly identified or categorised
• attributing: associating or assigning a cause to something
• accredited: officially recognised or authorised
• diagnosed: identified or determined the nature of a medical condition
• bloated: swollen or distended, often due to excessive gas
• debilitating: causing weakness or impairment
• diarrhoea: a condition characterised by frequent and watery bowel movements
• anaphylaxis: a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction
• gut: the digestive tract, especially the stomach and intestines
• elimination: the process of removing or excluding something
• dermatitis: a general term that refers to inflammation of the skin
• eczema: a chronic skin condition characterised by dry, itchy, inflamed skin
• gastrointestinal: refers to the digestive system, which includes the stomach, intestines, and other organs involved in digestion and nutrient absorption
• respiratory: relating to the organs involved in breathing, such as the lungs
• stools: the excrement discharged from the bowels
• diverse: varied or different
• tolerance: the ability to withstand or endure something
• nutritional: relating to the nourishment provided by food
• alleviate: to make less severe or intense
• complex interplay: a complicated interaction or relationship
• genetics: the study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics
• exposures: instances of being subjected to something
• dairy: products made from milk, such as cheese, yoghurt, and butter
• preferences: individual choices or inclinations
• digest: break down food in the stomach and intestines into substances that can be absorbed by the body
• symptoms: indications of a medical condition experienced by a person
• onset: the beginning or start of something
• guardian: a person who has the legal responsibility for taking care of someone, often a child
• GP: General Practitioner; a doctor who provides primary care for patients

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QUICK QUIZ
1. What are some symptoms of a milk allergy, according to Emma Beckett?
2. How does she suggest diagnosing milk intolerances?
3. Why might continuous exposure to milk be problematic for someone with a milk allergy?
4. How can you alleviating symptoms of milk intolerances?
5. Can allergies and intolerances to milk change as we age?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Finding and organising information
Find and organise the following key information from the news article so that a reader who is short on time could understand the most important details quickly. Consider whether to use a table, dot points, headings, bold words, etc. to make the information user-friendly.

• What is a dairy allergy and what is a dairy intolerance?
• What are the symptoms of each?
• What type of testing is required to be properly diagnosed?

Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education

2. Extension
Beckett urges readers who display symptoms of dairy intolerance or allergy to see a GP. What are some questions you would expect a doctor to ask at such an appointment?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education

VCOP ACTIVITY
1. Wow word recycle
There are plenty of wow words (ambitious pieces of vocabulary) being used in the article. Some are in the glossary, but there might be extra ones from the article that you think are exceptional as well.

Identify all the words in the article that you think are not common words, and particularly good choices for the writer to have chosen.

Select three words you have highlighted to recycle into your own sentences.

If any of the words you identified are not in the glossary, write up your own glossary for them.

2. Extension
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any base words with more specific synonyms?

Down-level for a younger audience. Find a sentence in the article that is high level. Now re-write it for a younger audience so they can understand the words without using the glossary.