1st March 2013 -- Allergy UK is warning that thousands of people could be missing out on vital nutrients by self-diagnosing themselves as dairy intolerant.
The charity is expressing concern, after new research revealed that 44% of individuals who class themselves as dairy intolerant, are self-diagnosed, relying on the internet and other 'non-conventional' methods of diagnosis.
It's highlighting an urgent need for more credible information and guidance from qualified health professionals.
Dairy intolerance is not an allergy. Food allergies occur when the body's immune system wrongly thinks that a food protein is harmful and acts against it. Food intolerances do not involve the immune system and are rarely life threatening.
Cows' milk allergy is common in young children but is far rarer in older children and adults - less than one in 1000 people.
In comparison, around one in five people will suffer symptoms suggestive of lactose (found mostly in dairy products) intolerance. It happens when a person can't properly digest lactose (milk sugar) because of low levels of lactase, the enzyme responsible for digesting lactose.
High levels of lactose are present in cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, butter, ice cream and cheese. Lactose can also be found in processed products like sausage, pies and some crisps and in some medications and vitamin/mineral supplements.
The common symptoms of lactose intolerance are diarrhoea, bloating and discomfort. For some people there is a dose related response, so they may be able to tolerate milk in tea, but a glass of milk would cause symptoms.
As with all intolerances the only solution is avoidance of the offending food until it can once again be tolerated.
In an attempt to find a solution to an ongoing health problem Allergy UK found 72% of those suffering from dairy intolerance symptoms removed all dairy sources (the main source of calcium in the UK) from their diet and a further 25% cut out some dairy food groups.
Gut symptoms, including stomach or abdominal discomfort, bloating and diarrhoea were the main reasons for individuals going dairy free. Eczema and nasal/sinus congestion were the fourth and fifth most common symptoms.
Lindsey McManus, deputy CEO, Allergy UK said the findings were worrying. In a prepared statement she has this advice: "To help identify whether food is a cause of symptoms, a food/symptoms diary can help to identify a pattern. We would always recommend taking the diary to your GP (or allergy specialist) who can diagnose what may be causing the symptoms or refer to a dietitian."
Three quarters (75%) of the individuals surveyed said their preference was to be assessed through a face-to-face consultation with a health professional.
If you think you are lactose intolerant, it is important to make an appointment to get a diagnosis confirmed (or ruled out) by a doctor.
Lactose intolerance can be diagnosed with a breath or blood test that can assess how the body reacts to lactose.
In the UK, lactose intolerance is more common in people of Asian or African-Caribbean descent.
The Allergy UK research was funded by Alpro and conducted amongst 1,225 dairy intolerance sufferers in January.
No comments:
Post a Comment