In this case, lactose, milk, and sugar cannot be digested. The reason is that the body does not produce adequate amounts of lactase, a digestive enzyme. This means that even a teaspoon of dairy product would have an adverse effect. The undigested lactose stays in the intestines, drawing water into the intestines that causes diarrhea and becomes fermented by the colon’s bacteria, causing gas. For this reason, a person who is lactose intolerant will typically only experience side effects of diarrhea and gas, although children often have more problems to include heartburn and vomiting.

Allergies to Milk and Dairy Products

With this, it is the protein in the milk that a person is reacting to, which includes whey and casein. Although a person could be allergic to both, usually it is one or the other. The symptoms of allergies associated with milk and dairy products are more involved, as mentioned earlier in this article.

With this type of allergy, the body’s immune system is reacting, trying to fight off anything harmful in the form of bacteria or viruses. Keep in mind, the one thing that this allergy and lactose intolerance does share is that both remain undigested in the intestines.

Although adults do suffer from the many side effects of a milk and dairy allergy, we often see children with the highest number of cases and the worst reactions. For example, if a child were allergic to dairy, you would typically see a reaction within 45 minutes. The most common symptoms that he or she would present include hives, swelling, coughing, and in severe cases, even shock. Obviously, in babies and small children, identifying allergies to milk and dairy products is crucial. Again, if you suspect this is happening, see your doctor. Often, switching the milk to goat or soymilk is recommended.

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