Intolerance vs. Allergy

-
We've heard the terms: often times we hear terms such as lactose intolerance and we think "oh, that person is allergic to milk", but that's not true. An intolerance and an allergy are two different things.

Okay, but how?

Let's use milk as an example, since it is often the greatest offender of this misunderstanding. Milk is actually a very common food allergy and food intolerance, which is probably one of the reasons why it is so often cited.

 Coronavirus: Health experts debunk claims about milk and COVID-19 ...

First: allergies. A food allergy is most often involves the immune system and includes a sensitivity to the milk protein. In simple terms, a milk allergy is when your immune system thinks that proteins in the milk are foreign invaders and attack these invaders. Symptoms include
  • hives 
  • anaphylaxis 
  • coughing or shortness of breath
  • itching
  • swelling or the lips, tongue, or throat
It is possible, if the food allergy is developed at a younger age, for a person to "outgrow" the allergy. 

Second: intolerance. A food intolerance, in this example a lactose intolerance, is a digestive disorder in which the body cannot digest the carbohydrate lactose. Individuals with lactose intolerance do not produce enough of the enzyme lactase, which is what typically digests lactose.

  lactoseLactose - Wikipedia

Symptoms include:
  • stomach pain/bloating
  • diarrhea
  • increased gas
  • constipation

In conclusion, a milk allergy is an immune system reaction to milk protein and involves the immune system, and a milk (lactose) intolerance is an inability to digest the carbohydrate lactose in milk products and involves the digestive system.

CB




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Do you struggle with pre and post exercise nutrition?

-
Image
What should i eat before and after a workout? First things first…carbohydrates, proteins and fats are important for the body before  and after exercise. Exercising muscle preferentially uses carbohydrates from stored glycogen, but fats are also an important fuel source for energy production during exercise. Fats and carbohydrates are the two major fuel sources during exercise. Fats must be translocated and broken down from their storage form before they are used. Typically there is enough carbohydrate stored as muscle glycogen for exercise but as muscle glycogen stores decline, the skeletal muscle will then use some amino acids (basic components of all protein). More specifically, the amino acid leucine is used for energy.              It is important to consume an adequate amount of carbohydrates exercise to delay fatigue and minimize gastrointestinal distress. It is also important to consume enough fluids to prevent hypohydration. Now, lets talk about pre-exercise me
Read more