The appearance of bloating and nausea after consuming milk generally occurs in people who are lactose intolerant. However, it is possible for people who are sensitive to certain proteins found in milk to be sensitive.
There are many health benefits of milk. Unfortunately, for people with lactose intolerance and people whose digestion is sensitive to milk, milk consumption can actually cause various kinds of complaints, such as flatulence, nausea, constipation, and even diarrhea.
Causes of Bloating and Nausea After Consuming Milk
Bloating and nausea are symptoms that usually appear when people with lactose intolerance consume milk. This can happen because the body cannot digest lactose properly. Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk.
In the body, lactose will be broken down into glucose and galactose, with the help of the enzyme lactase. However, in people with lactose intolerance, the lactase enzyme produced by the body is not enough, so lactose cannot be digested properly.
This then makes the bacteria in the large intestine carry out the process of fermenting lactose into acid and gas. The amount of lactose that is fermented in the large intestine is what causes flatulence and nausea.
Apart from bloating and nausea, people with lactose intolerance will also experience other symptoms, such as:
- Stomach ache
- Throw up
- Diarrhea
- Constipation or difficulty defecating
- Frequent urination or farting
Switch to A2 Cow's Milk which is more comfortable on the stomach
In addition to lactose intolerance, frequent bloating or nausea after drinking milk can also be experienced by people with digestion that is sensitive to the protein content in milk. This complaint is often confused with lactose intolerance because the symptoms are similar, many think they are lactose intolerant, even though it is possible that they cannot digest one of the proteins in cow's milk.
Beta-casein protein, which consists of A1 and A2 proteins, is the most abundant protein in cow's milk. A protein in cow's milk called protein A1 (beta-casein 1) is thought to be the cause of this condition.
In the body, protein A1 will be broken down into a protein compound called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7), a compound suspected of causing digestive disorders in people with lactose intolerance and milk allergy. This is the reason why the content of protein A1 is considered a trigger for complaints that resemble symptoms of lactose intolerance and milk allergy.
As an effort to overcome this, now there is cow's milk that has been strictly selected so as to produce milk that only contains Protein A2, without Protein A1. The content of Protein A2 tends to be more easily absorbed by the body so it does not cause indigestion, especially in people with digestion that is sensitive to cow's milk protein.
A2 cow's milk is considered safer for people with lactose intolerance, people who can't digest the protein in cow's milk and also for those who are allergic to milk. However, it is better to consult a doctor before consuming it. If after consuming A2 cow's milk, allergy symptoms still appear, consult a doctor for treatment.
