Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Does Dairy Do Damage?

luvs2eat

By luvs2eat
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

luvs2eat Collaborator
luvs2eat
Posted

Gluten damages. But does dairy? It doesn't like me but there are some times when I'm willing to put up w/ the gas, belly noises, and bathroom issues for a good piece of cheese. Am I damaging anything other than my toilet/septic system?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


bigbird16 Apprentice
bigbird16
Posted

I've heard that there can be. Pubmed may be a good place to look for more info. Here's one article: Open Original Shared Link

Yep, being dairy-free totally sucks worse than being gluten-free, but it hits me harder and faster than gluten. Sometimes I miss cheese so bad. Though it smells gross to me now.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I do not believe that dairy in and of itself causes autoimmune damage. But if you are healing from damage caused by gluten, I can't imagine that it would help the process.

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

I wouldn't think it would do damage, but you never know about inflammation. The villi are damaged so they aren't able to produce lactase enzyme to digest dairy. When the villi heal many can eat dairy again, but not all. It's complicated unfortunately.

If you are newly gluten free, I would say going off dairy would help you heal and hopefully you can eat it again in the future.

saintmaybe Collaborator
saintmaybe
Posted

The papers that are cited seem to indicate villous flattening in the presence of a lactose intolerance alone, but failed to separate the intestinal damage from the context of celiac disease. Does anyone know if milk intolerance BY ITSELF can cause intestinal damage via an immuno-response? The papers were also 20-30 years old. Any more recent info?

luvs2eat Collaborator
luvs2eat
Posted
  • Author

I wouldn't think it would do damage, but you never know about inflammation. The villi are damaged so they aren't able to produce lactase enzyme to digest dairy. When the villi heal many can eat dairy again, but not all. It's complicated unfortunately.

If you are newly gluten free, I would say going off dairy would help you heal and hopefully you can eat it again in the future.

I am SO not newly gluten-free. I've been gluten-free for TEN years. It's only in the last year that dairy doesn't seem to like me anymore. And I completely agree. Going gluten-free was way easier than going DF.

Strawberry-Jam Enthusiast
Strawberry-Jam
Posted

I tho't that lactose intolerance does not cause permanent damage, whereas a casein intolerance can act just like coeliac. If it is your autoimmune system that is producing antibodies and attacking casein in the same way it does for gluten, then I can totally see how that would be the case.

I don't have anything to back this up, only that I've heard this a couple times.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kwylee Apprentice
kwylee
Posted

This is a great question and I've wondered about this myself. In addition to being gluten intolerant, I am intolerant to milk protein (casein) but not lactose, and I have ALWAYS reacted to dairy with intestinal trouble - even though my gluten reactions were strictly neuro only. With the stomach aches I've had all my life due to dairy, I can't believe it would not be doing me harm in some way to ingest it, although my intestinal villi have always tested as healthy. But if you do a dairy challenge in time and your body tells you something, probably best to listen. In my case, after over a year being gluten-free/DF I challenged a couple months ago with a handful of mozz cheese on a gluten-free pizza. I could usually tolerate that much cheese before and I had no tummy trouble, but I did get a slight weird feeling in my brain for a couple hours, so not sure I'll be going there soon.

Leper Messiah Apprentice
Leper Messiah
Posted

I think this depends on how long you went between it starting (for some very difficult to pinpoint) and beginning a strict gluten free diet.

After a long period my theory is that your GI tract tries to work out what's causing the inflammation itself and wrongly identifies a selection or one (if you're lucky) of the common allergens such as dairy, soy etc etc.

What I'm unclear on is if this is permanent or could be retrained over time.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

This is an article from 1996, but I believe and intolerance to cows milk protein can also cause villious atrophy, but it's not common.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/50/1/Main-Causes-of-Flattened-Villi/Page1.html

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

This is an article from 1996, but I believe and intolerance to cows milk protein can also cause villious atrophy, but it's not common.

https://www.celiac.com/articles/50/1/Main-Causes-of-Flattened-Villi/Page1.html

That was an interesting article, even though the source of the info is from 1984.

I knew there were other reasons for villous damage, but from soy and milk proteins? hmm.... I also noticed it said that these cases were rare and more often in conjunction with celiac and if the villi did not heal after a total gluten-free diet, they should look for another reason why. Man, there's always more to learn with this "thing". :rolleyes:

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,913
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    patanddiane
    Newest Member
    patanddiane
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rogol72
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      @klmgarland, My dermatitis herpetiformis didn't clear up until I became meticulous about cross contamination. I cut out gluten-free oats and all gluten-free foods, dairy and gluten-free rice. Additionally, getting the right amount of protein for my body weight helped significantly in my body's healing process ... along with supplementing with enough of all the vitamins and minerals ... especially Zinc and Magnesium. I went from 70kg to 82kg in a year. Protein with each meal 3 times daily, especially eggs at breakfast made the difference. I'm not sure whether iodine was a problem for me, but I can tolerate iodine no problem now. I'm off Dapsone and feel great. Not a sign of an itch. So there is hope. I'm not advocating for the use of Dapsone, but it can bring a huge amount of relief despite it's effect on red blood cells. The itch is so distracting and debilitating. I tried many times to get off it, it wasn't until I implemented the changes above and was consistent that I got off it. Dermatitis Herpetiformis is horrible, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.  
    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      Thank you so very much Scott.  Just having someone understand my situation is so very helpful.  If I have one more family member ask me how my little itchy skin thing is going and can't you just take a pill and it will go away and just a little bit of gluten can't hurt you!!!! I think I will scream!!
    • Scott Adams
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It is difficult to do the detective work of tracking down hidden sources of cross-contamination. The scenarios you described—the kiss, the dish towel, the toaster, the grandbaby's fingers—are all classic ways those with dermatitis herpetiformis might get glutened, and it's a brutal learning curve that the medical world rarely prepares you for. It is difficult to have to deal with such hyper-vigilance. The fact that you have made your entire home environment, from makeup to cleaners, gluten-free is a big achievement, but it's clear the external world and shared spaces remain a minefield. Considering Dapsone is a logical and often necessary step for many with DH to break the cycle of itching and allow the skin to heal while you continue your detective work; it is a powerful tool to give you back your quality of life and sleep. You are not failing; you are fighting an incredibly steep battle. For a more specific direction, connecting with a dedicated celiac support group (online or locally) can be invaluable, as members exchange the most current, real-world tips for avoiding cross-contamination that you simply won't find in a pamphlet. You have already done the hardest part by getting a correct diagnosis. Now, the community can help you navigate the rest. If you have DH you will likely also want to avoid iodine, which is common in seafoods and dairy products, as it can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This article may also be helpful as it offers various ways to relieve the itch:  
    • Scott Adams
      My only proof

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It's very frustrating to be dismissed by medical professionals, especially when you are the one living with the reality of your condition every day. Having to be your own advocate and "fight" for a doctor who will listen is an exhausting burden that no one should have to carry. While that 1998 brochure is a crucial piece of your personal history, it's infuriating that the medical system often requires more contemporary, formal documentation to take a condition seriously. It's a common and deeply unfair situation for those who were diagnosed decades ago, before current record-keeping and testing were standard. You are not alone in this struggle.
    • Scott Adams
      Methylprednisone treatment for inflammation?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Methylprednisolone is sometimes prescribed for significant inflammation of the stomach and intestines, particularly for conditions like Crohn's disease, certain types of severe colitis, or autoimmune-related gastrointestinal inflammation. As a corticosteroid, it works by powerfully and quickly suppressing the immune system's inflammatory response. For many people, it can be very effective at reducing inflammation and providing rapid relief from symptoms like pain, diarrhea, and bleeding, often serving as a short-term "rescue" treatment to bring a severe flare under control. However, experiences can vary, and its effectiveness depends heavily on the specific cause of the inflammation. It's also important to be aware that while it can work well, it comes with potential side effects, especially with longer-term use, so it's typically used for the shortest duration possible under close medical supervision. It's always best to discuss the potential benefits and risks specific to your situation with your gastroenterologist.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.