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

Casein Or Lactose?

MiamiMom

By MiamiMom
in Food Intolerance & Leaky Gut

Recommended Posts

MiamiMom Newbie
MiamiMom
Posted

Hi. Ever since my 7 yr old son went gluten free about a month ago, he cannot seem to tolerate dairy without getting terrible gas/cramps. His Enterolab results indicated a problem with casein, but honestly, with three celiacs and a Crohns sufferer with his own dietary needs in my house, it was just too much for me to deal with, so I didn't remove dairy from his diet.

Interestingly, just as soon as I went off gluten (at about the same time) I also started having a huge problem with dairy. I had never had a problem with dairy before. Ever. Thankfully, Lactaid helps a great deal.

I have a bunch of questions:

1) Why is this all starting now? Does something about eliminating gluten make lactose intolerance worse?

2) Can it actually cause LI?

3) Is this actually a casein reaction? If so, why does lactaid seem to help?

4) Is Lactaid safe for kids?

My son's results: Fecal anti-casein (cow

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Guest j_mommy
Guest j_mommy
Posted

Alot of people have problems with dairy after going gluten-free.

Many people go diary free for awhile after going gluten-free and then start adding dairy back in...after giving the body some time to heal. For me...I went about a month dairy free and then started to add it back and I tolerate it now.

Hope that helps!

MySuicidalTurtle Enthusiast
MySuicidalTurtle
Posted

Lactaid should not help with casein because they are different things. I am casein-free and feel soooooooooooo much better. If it is causing you and your son pain then you should listen to your bodies. Good luck.

hathor Contributor
hathor
Posted

It is certainly possible to have problems with both casein and lactose. The Lactaid would help with the latter, but not the former.

I don't think that eliminating gluten makes casein or lactose intolerance worse. You just no longer have the gluten symptoms masking what the dairy is doing to you. From what I've read, frequently people can have lactose again once they heal. But overcoming casein intolerance isn't that common. I think I've seen one person on this board mentioning this happening to her and that's it.

If your son is suffering from dairy, and has the test results to say he shouldn't have it, really he shouldn't. I know change can seem hard, but sometimes you just do what needs to be done. Sub in nondairy milk and read labels to make sure there isn't casein or caseinate in a product. If nothing else, you could try goat's milk. Its type of casein is different from cow's milk and your son might be able to tolerate it better.

MiamiMom Newbie
MiamiMom
Posted
  • Author

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I guess I just need to bite the bullet and do it.

Somehow, it just seems so much more daunting than removing gluten alone. I guess I worry that our food choices will just be too limited. Also, my son hates to feel different than the other boys and I feel I've pushed him as far as he is willing to go right now, even with the stomach pains.... He really is having a hard time adjusting to gluten-free life in a school setting, and his teacher is SO not supportive. He's just so much more fragile about the whole thing than my daughter, who honestly didn't bat a eye.

<Deep sigh> Well, there are worse things, eh? I should just count my blessings that I even know what's going on! We are still a world better off than we were last year at this time.

Thanks again. I truly appreciate it. :)

munchkinette Collaborator
munchkinette
Posted

I'm at the point where I need to remove something else as well, and I'm guessing it's dairy. Before going gluten-free I never had much dairy. I started eating more of it (and corn and soy and other stuff) when I went gluten-free because it was something I could eat. I think that's why I'm noticing other problems now. Whatever it is I can't eat, I'm getting more of it because I'm substituting it.

CuriousOne Apprentice
CuriousOne
Posted

I had a thought on this. Maybe the body developed a thick layer of mucus to deal with all the gluten. That layer of mucus was developed to protect the intestine against gluten... but it also worked to protect the intestines against say, casein...or soy....

So now that gluten is gone, your intestines are cleared up... the mucus may be gone... and your intestines are freshly reacting to casein.

Just a theory.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MiamiMom Newbie
MiamiMom
Posted
  • Author

You know, I actually had not considered that, but it is so true! We have been eating a lot more dairy to compensate for the calories lost elsewhere. It makes so much sense now... <light bulb goes off over my slightly dense head> :rolleyes:

MiamiMom Newbie
MiamiMom
Posted
  • Author

You know, I think you might be onto something there. For his Crohn's disease, my husband takes loads of Slippery Elm, which is basically a natural bark that turns gelatinous upon contact with water. It has been used for centuries by Native Americans for its healing properties, and it coats and soothes his insides. It has made a tremendous difference--even healing some of his lesions.

I mention this because even though he carries both the D2 and D3 genes, his tests indicate he is having no immunologic response. (I was about willing to bet my right arm that it was celiac disease that brought about the Crohn's, and then we got the results. Go figure.)

He could just be one of the lucky ones and gluten truly doesn't affect him (yet), or maybe all that slippery elm is coating his insides just enough to protect him, just as the mucous does in your theory. Interesting...

Archived

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

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

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,043
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Churro
    Newest Member
    Churro
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      In the study linked above, the little girl switched to a gluten free diet and gained enough weight that that fat pad was replenished and surgery was not needed.   Here's the full article link... Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6476019/
    • knitty kitty
      Fruits & Veggies

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jordan Carlson, So glad you're feeling better.   Tecta is a proton pump inhibitor.  PPI's also interfere with the production of the intrinsic factor needed to absorb Vitamin B12.  Increasing the amount of B12 you supplement has helped overcome the lack of intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12. Proton pump inhibitors also reduce the production of digestive juices (stomach acids).  This results in foods not being digested thoroughly.  If foods are not digested sufficiently, the vitamins and other nutrients aren't released from the food, and the body cannot absorb them.  This sets up a vicious cycle. Acid reflux and Gerd are actually symptoms of producing too little stomach acid.  Insufficient stomach acid production is seen with Thiamine and Niacin deficiencies.  PPI's like Tecta also block the transporters that pull Thiamine into cells, preventing absorption of thiamine.  Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are difficulty swallowing, gagging, problems with food texture, dysphagia. Other symptoms of Thiamine deficiency are symptoms of ADHD and anxiety.  Vyvanse also blocks thiamine transporters contributing further to Thiamine deficiency.  Pristiq has been shown to work better if thiamine is supplemented at the same time because thiamine is needed to make serotonin.  Doctors don't recognize anxiety and depression and adult onset ADHD as early symptoms of Thiamine deficiency. Stomach acid is needed to digest Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in fruits and vegetables.  Ascorbic acid left undigested can cause intestinal upsets, anxiety, and heart palpitations.   Yes, a child can be born with nutritional deficiencies if the parents were deficient.  Parents who are thiamine deficient have offspring with fewer thiamine transporters on cell surfaces, making thiamine deficiency easier to develop in the children.  A person can struggle along for years with subclinical vitamin deficiencies.  Been here, done this.  Please consider supplementing with Thiamine in the form TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which helps immensely with dysphagia and neurological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms.  Benfotiamine helps with improving intestinal health.  A B Complex and NeuroMag (a magnesium supplement), and Vitamin D are needed also.
    • knitty kitty
      Positive biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @pothosqueen, Welcome to the tribe! You'll want to get checked for nutritional deficiencies and start on supplementation of B vitamins, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1.   There's some scientific evidence that the fat pad that buffers the aorta which disappears in SMA is caused by deficiency in Thiamine.   In Thiamine deficiency, the body burns its stored fat as a source of fuel.  That fat pad between the aorta and digestive system gets used as fuel, too. Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test to look for thiamine deficiency.  Correction of thiamine deficiency can help restore that fat pad.   Best wishes for your recovery!   Interesting Reading: Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Girl with Final Diagnosis of Celiac Disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31089433/#:~:text=Affiliations,tissue and results in SMAS.  
    • trents
      Positive biopsy

      By trents · Posted

      Wow! You're pretty young to have a diagnosis of SMA syndrome. But youth also has its advantages when it comes to healing, without a doubt. You might be surprised to find out how your health improves and how much better you feel once you eliminate gluten from your diet. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that, when gluten is consumed, triggers an attack on the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestines where all our nutrition is absorbed. It is made up of billions of tiny finger-like projections that create a tremendous surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the person with celiac disease, unchecked gluten consumption generates inflammation that wears down these fingers and, over time, greatly reduces the nutrient absorbing efficiency of the small bowel lining. This can generate a whole host of other nutrient deficiency related medical problems. We also now know that the autoimmune reaction to gluten is not necessarily limited to the lining of the small bowel such that celiac disease can damage other body systems and organs such as the liver and the joints and cause neurological problems.  It can take around two years for the villous lining to completely heal but most people start feeling better well before then. It's also important to realize that celiac disease can cause intolerance to some other foods whose protein structures are similar to gluten. Chief among them are dairy and oats but also eggs, corn and soy. Just keep that in mind.
    • pothosqueen
      Positive biopsy

      By pothosqueen · Posted

      26F!
×
×
  • 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.