Dairy intolerance

[Cooper27]

I know someone here will know the answer to this: I'm lactose intolerant and so don't eat much dairy. Sometimes I buy lactose free cheddar or yoghurt, and although the intolerance reaction is reduced, I still have a bit of a reaction sometimes.

What other things in dairy can we be intolerant to, and what dairy substitutes don't contain them or lactose, just to help me narrow down the culprit?

I can feel the same after coconut yoghurt too sometimes, it's just a strange one

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Do you have any items that you eat/drink with soy in them? Some soy products are lactose free.😀👍🌈

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Activity2004]

I tend to avoid soya based dairy alternatives, we both react quite badly to tofu so I don't trust foods that contain large amounts of soya

[Hidden]

Have you checked out casein allergy? As casein is not only in milk but other fats.

I think it’s quite rare but it’s why some people can’t tolerate lactose free milk.

Here’s a link:

healthline.com/health/aller...

My problem with lots of dairy substitutes is they add artificial sugars that are wheat based so have traces of gluten but are well within codex gluten free.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Possibly casein, are you aware of ways to rule it out? E.g. goats milk?

I don't think it's a full on allergy, just an intolerance. I was allergic to milk as a kid, but I grew out of it

I think we're ok with not using anything derived from gluten either - I very rarely touch milk alternatives - the concept of milk just never appealed to me but the ones I pick tend to be minimal and more natural ingredients.

[Hidden in reply to Cooper27]

Yes goats and sheep’s milk contain casein but it’s the a2 rather than the a1 in cows milk and casein a2 is much easier to digest than a1.

I believe the best test for casein is a simple skin test to see if there is a reaction as it will cause skin rash like DH.

I find many fats act like a laxative on me and my body doesn’t absorb fat well so I hope that you find the cause of this. 😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

By the way goats milk and sheep’s milk molecules are the same size as human milk so much easier to breakdown than cows milk which are 200 larger.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Hidden]

That's helpful. I might try goats milk with a lactase enzyme to see if I can tolerate that, and if no symptoms then I'll know it's a casein reaction too.

I'm generally ok with fats I think, but I seem to react to dairy and dairy alternatives. I'm possibly thinking histamines, because it's fermented stuff (dairy and non dairy yoghurt, cheese).

Thankfully it's not a bad reaction - my stomach just feels like I've downed a glass of vinegar. It's telling me something though, so I ought to listen

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Stumbled upon this interesting tidbit:

A digestive enzyme called dipeptidyl peptidase IV, also abbreviated DPP-IV, is able to break down casein and gluten. This enzyme is naturally produced in your intestines, but studies indicate that their levels are low in people with celiac diease, according to ProThera and Klaire Labs. Research done in vitro and in rats is promising, but data in humans are lacking.

livestrong.com/article/4756...

[Hidden in reply to Cooper27]

This is Glutenease which’s a supplement which is supposed to help if you accidentally eat gluten and to help with lactose and casein.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I was aware of glutenease I found it interesting that gluten and casein intolerances seem to go hand in hand, and that casein intolerance is common for those with coeliac too though.

[Eryl]

I have a casein a1 intolerance. You used to be able to get 'a2 milk' in the UK but now I think you can only get it in Australia. I use goats milk these days with no problem and the stuff in the supermarkets is hardly distinguishable from cows milk, maybe a little thicker but not a lot.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Eryl]

Good to know! I remember seeing A2 milk for a while, but all this kind of stuff has gone walkabouts recently. I don't know if it's just reordering the shelves or if it's discontinued. I'll look out for it though

[Eryl]

I believe it's discontinued.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Eryl]

I've googled and apparently you can buy at Sainsbury's it's a shame they're the furthest away from us, but maybe next time I happen to be there, I'll try them out.

[Penel]

Hi Cooper27

I’m also lactose intolerant and have found that I can’t tolerate the lactose level in goats milk but am ok with the very low level in goats milk kefir.

I don’t drink any milk but am ok with a small amount of cream in coffee. I make my own low lactose yogurt using cows milk (fermented for 24 hours).

If your problem was with histamines the usual response would be a runny nose and other hay-fever type reactions.

Good luck finding what works for you.

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Penel]

Thanks for the feedback

I have lactase enzyme tablets that I take with a dairy meal, and they help the body to break down the lactose so it won't cause an issue. I would only tend to eat goats milk based products if I take one of them first, they really make a difference I don't do it often, but it does allow a more diverse menu if you're eating out.

[OrbitABit]

Thank you for asking this it’s great hearing the responses, I can’t tolerate lactose either.

[HealthyEVE]

I try eat healty but i love sweet and chips soooo much!!!