Two different cases shall be distinguished:

1. Real allergy (against milk protein)
2. Milk intolerance or lactose intolerance.

In case of lactose intolerance (milk intolerance) the person is missing the ability to digest the milk sugar (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ ). This is not an allergy, but metabolic disease. About 85% are suffering from it, but only 15% of Europeans. Such people are missing Lactase enzyme, which is responsible for milk sugar digestion.

After consuming milk, instead of the common allergy symptoms, come diarrhoea or meteorism attacks. However, these symptoms disappear fast, when milk and milk products are no longer consumed.

In case of the real allergy, the part of milk protein is responsible for the reaction of the immune system. Such reaction can be sometimes even dangerous for the life. People with strong allergy against cow milk protein shall strictly avoid all the products containing cow milk. However, such allergic people can enjoy soy, almond, rice or coconut milk. There is also special nutrition program for babies.

Milk protein consists of many different components. They can be divided in two general groups:

1. Buttermilk protein. It is heat sensitive and easy soluble. It consists from albumins and globulins. Cow buttermilk protein can be also avoided by consumption of goat, sheep or jennet milk.

2. Casein . This is hardly soluble and heatproof milk component. It is contained in all kinds or animal milk. In case of such allergy cow milk can not be substituted by goat milk etc.

Cheese and curds contain little buttermilk protein, but are rich in casein.

The following products contain both groups of milk protein:

- drinking milk

- sour milk

- yogurt

- kefir

- buttermilk

The symptoms vary for different allergic people. The difference in product tolerance can vary a lot. For example, those who are allergic to buttermilk protein can not drink raw milk, but boiled milk is OK for them. In case of casein allergy neither raw, nor boiled milk can be consumed. Even soy milk can not be consumed by about 25% of such allergic people. Please note, that such intolerance forbids not just milk itself, but also milk products and in general all the products containing milk protein or soy protein.

Depending on the sensibility grade, the following ersatz products can be used by allergic people:

Butter / Cream:

The protein component in butter and cream is very low, allowing consumption of these products ever for milk allergic people.

Rice milk

When your body produces allergic reaction even to butter and cream, you can use rice milk instead of animal milk. Please take into account, that rice milk has much less nutrition value and minerals as cow milk.

Goat, sheep or jennet milk:

Due to different casein structure, these milks can be consumed by many cow milk allergic people.

Soy milk:

It is a valuable protein source for all those who are not soy protein allergic.

Symptoms :

Milk protein allergy displays the following symptoms:

Digestive tract :

Heartburn, gastritis, intestinal colic, duodenitis, meteorism, diarrhoea, constipation, anal itching.

Mouth / neck/ throat :

Redness, itching, eczema.

The following symptoms can also appear:

Eyes : Redness, watering, eyelid swelling.

Nose : running nose, inner skin swelling, chronic inflammation

Ears : itching, redness, herpes, acne, dry and irritated skin

Nerve System: anxiety, depressions, headaches, migraines, nerve inflammations.

Heart / blood circulation : collapse, in some cases even blood circulation refusal (anaphylactic shock)

Breathing : asthma, chronic cough, breath disturbance

Miscellaneous : joint pain, tiredness, productivity disturbance.

In some cases only anti-allergy cure can help: permanent avoiding of allergy-provoking products. Milk allergy requests strict diet.