Table of contents:
- Can allergies appear when they are adults?
- What are the symptoms of a milk allergy in adults?
- Differentiate a milk allergy from a milk intolerance
- Overcoming milk allergies in adults
Have you ever felt uncomfortable after drinking milk even though, when you were a child, you didn't have any problems when you consumed it? This might lead you to the conclusion that you have a milk allergy that only emerged as an adult.
Can allergies appear when they are adults?
Yes, food allergies can appear at any time. Not only when you were a child, but it can also appear when you are an adult. At any age, you can show an allergic reaction for the first time, such as diarrhea after drinking cow's milk, itching, skin redness, swelling, and many more.
When you first experience these symptoms, you may still be confused because you didn't previously have problems with allergies. However, allergies that only appear when they are adults can indeed occur.
An allergic reaction occurs because your immune system thinks something dangerous has entered your body. The immune system will then cause a reaction to the allergen (compounds that cause allergies).
Milk contains water, protein, minerals, fat and carbohydrates (milk sugar). This protein in cow's milk is what the body considers a foreign substance. White blood cells also form antibodies or called antihistamines to fight these foreign substances.
This can then give rise to food allergy symptoms, which can be demonstrated through the skin, digestive system, and respiratory system.
The two main proteins in animal milk that usually cause allergic reactions are casein, which is found in thickened milk curd, and whey, which is found in the liquid part of the milk that remains after thickening.
The reaction doesn't always appear the first time you are exposed to the allergen. It is possible that a new reaction occurs when you have been repeatedly exposed to an allergen, so that allergy symptoms will only be felt when you are an adult.
Usually, milk allergies appear in the 30s or 40s. Heredity and environmental factors can be related to your allergies.
What are the symptoms of a milk allergy in adults?
Allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe and require special attention. Mild symptoms can be in the form of a rash on the skin around the mouth and then spread to other parts of the body. Your skin may also become red and itchy.
You can also experience breathing problems when you are allergic to milk. The immune system that reacts to milk protein can cause inflammation of the sinuses. This can lead to excess mucus production, resulting in a blocked and runny nose.
Difficulty breathing, including wheezing, coughing, and asthma can also appear when you have a milk allergy.
Apart from the symptoms already mentioned, milk allergy can also cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is an emergency allergic reaction and can lead to death. Signs of anaphylaxis can include:
- narrowing of the airways, including swelling of the throat that makes breathing difficult,
- decreased blood pressure, and
- lose consciousness.
Differentiate a milk allergy from a milk intolerance
If you have the above symptoms after drinking milk, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will do further tests to see if you really have a milk allergy or not.
It could be that the symptoms you are experiencing are a different milk intolerance from a milk allergy, or it could be due to an allergy to something else. Milk allergy can occur in adults, but this is very rare.
Usually, people experience milk intolerance due to a deficiency of an enzyme that helps digest milk. Milk intolerance is also commonly referred to as lactose intolerance.
The symptoms you feel are different. The effect of intolerance to milk attacks the digestive system more. Some of the symptoms include flatulence, pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Other symptoms that may also appear are muscle and joint pain, headaches, and lethargy.
To determine whether what you are experiencing is an allergy or intolerance, you should get checked out and undergo a number of tests. Testing options include a skin prick allergen exposure test and a blood test.
If one test is not clear, you may need to undergo additional tests or take an oral exposure test by consuming milk directly.
Overcoming milk allergies in adults
Source: SG Awards
In babies or toddlers, most milk allergies will disappear as they grow. However, if a new allergy occurs as an adult, it is not certain whether the allergy can disappear.
Until now, there is no cure for allergies. So the best way you can do right now is to avoid milk from drinks or foods that you consume daily.
Milk protein is contained in many types of food. Apart from processed products such as cheese, yogurt, butter, and cream, milk is also found in bread and cakes, caramel, chocolate, and is sometimes used in making sausages.
The amount of food and drink is very difficult to avoid, especially if milk is contained in foods that you are not expecting. Therefore, you should always read the ingredient label of any food you buy and make sure the product does not use milk.
Besides, when hearing about milk allergy, what comes to most people's mind is cow's milk. However, make sure that you still avoid other animal milk products.
Goat milk, for example, has a protein content similar to cow's milk. It is better if you do not consume goat's milk because it is feared that it can cause the same allergic reaction.
