Q & A What is the difference between lactose intolerance and a dairy allergy?
LACTOSE INTOLERANCE OR DAIRY ALLERGY?
The terms "lactose intolerance" and "dairy allergy" are often mis-understood. They engage very different body processes.
Lactose is milk sugar, a naturally occurring carbohydrate in milk. This milk sugar is digested in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract by an enzyme called lactase. If your body does not produce enough of this enzyme, the milk sugar ends up further down the GI tract and bacteria interact with the lactose and create the upset symptoms of gas, cramping, bloat, diarrhea and even nausea. This describes lactose intolerance.
A dairy allergy, on the other hand, will trigger an immune system IgE response to the dairy proteins. Though rare, this type of response can be an anaphylactic reaction, which is immediate and life threatening. Or, it can be delayed and lead to a host of symptoms, including diarrhea, cramps, coughing, wheezing, runny nose, or a skin rash around the mouth.