Milk Allergy:

Symptoms, causes and treatment

- Shivangi Karn

Milk allergy occurs when our body’s immune system responds abnormally to one of the proteins present in milk and causes symptoms due to the allergic reaction. Cow’s milk is the primary cause of milk allergy in young children.

However, the allergy can also be from the milk of goats, sheep, buffalo or other mammals. Milk contains two types of protein - casein and whey. The solid part of milk is known as casein which comprises almost 80% of milk protein while whey, the liquid part of milk, contains the remaining 20% of milk protein. Other food and food products like sausage, chewing gum, bodybuilding drinks, meats, energy drinks and tuna may contain casein. According to the epidemiology of milk allergy, 65% of the total population worldwide are allergic to milk during their infancy but later outgrows it before they reach the age 16. The allergic reaction starts usually when our immune system thinks that the proteins in milk are some harmful invaders and so reacts to it quickly by releasing a chemical called histamine. Other foods that may cause such reactions are eggs, peanuts, fish, soy and shellfish.

Symptoms of milk allergy

Milk allergy differs from individual to individual. In some people, the symptoms last for a few minutes while in others, it may cause trouble for an hour or days. Common symptoms of milk allergy are as follows:

Causes of milk allergy