What are the risks of drinking milk?
For most people milk is not risky, but two problems are well documented by the NHS: lactose intolerance (bloating, tummy pain, diarrhoea) and cows' milk allergy, which can occasionally be serious. We found no NHS or other official page that lists side effects of drinking too much milk.
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In this article
Can milk make you sick?
It can for people who cannot digest lactose or who are allergic to milk. The NHS says the most common cause of lactose intolerance is that the body “does not make enough of an enzyme called lactase”. We found no official source describing illness from simply drinking a lot of milk, so we do not make that claim.
What are the signs of lactose intolerance?
The NHS lists tummy pain or discomfort, bloating, wind, rumbling, diarrhoea or constipation, and feeling or being sick. They can start within minutes or a few hours of having lactose. Some people also get headaches, tiredness, or joint or muscle pain.
Eating smaller portions of foods with lactose may prevent symptoms, and a lactase supplement taken beforehand may help some people. The NHS advises not to cut foods out of your or your child’s diet without a GP’s advice. See a GP if symptoms keep coming back, you see blood in your poo, or bloating lasts 3 weeks.
What is a milk allergy?
The NHS names cows’ milk as one of the most common allergic foods. Food allergy symptoms include an itchy skin or raised rash (hives), swelling of the lips, face and eyes, coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, feeling or being sick, tummy pain and diarrhoea. They can start straight after eating or days later. The NHS says intolerance (bloating and tummy pain a few hours after eating) is different from allergy.
When is it an emergency?
Call 999 if your throat feels tight, you struggle to swallow or breathe, or someone faints and cannot be woken up. Use an adrenaline auto-injector if one has been prescribed, and call 999 even if the person seems to improve.
This is general information, not medical advice. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about your own symptoms.
People also ask
Can you get sick from drinking too much milk?
We found no official source on that. The NHS does describe illness from lactose intolerance and milk allergy in people affected by them.
What are the side effects of drinking milk?
For people with lactose intolerance, the NHS lists tummy pain, bloating, wind, diarrhoea or constipation and feeling sick. A milk allergy can cause hives, swelling and breathing problems.
What is the difference between milk allergy and lactose intolerance?
The NHS says intolerance causes bloating and tummy pain a few hours after eating, while allergy can cause rash, swelling and breathing symptoms and can be life-threatening.
Sources
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