Can Dairy Cause Inflammation?

Inflammation is a bodily process that protects against dangers like infections. Milk and milk products can cause inflammation depending on the person.

When it comes to dairy, nutritional advice can often be conflicting. Some diets recommend including dairy as a healthy source of nutrition, whereas others strongly suggest avoiding it due to dairy inflammation. Read on to find out whether dairy is good or bad for you: Learn why it’s believed to be inflammatory, whether you should include it in your diet, and more.

Inflammation is a bodily process that protects against dangers like infections. Your body has two main types of inflammatory reactions:

• Acute (a short-term reaction lasting for a few days)
• Chronic (a long-term response lasting for more than 6 weeks)

Your body has developed a specialized immune system that reacts to inflammatory triggers (e.g., pathogens like bacteria or viruses or injuries like cuts and scrapes). In response to these triggers, chemical messengers like cytokines, prostaglandins, and histamine are dispatched, initiating an inflammatory reaction. These chemicals direct special immune cells (white blood cells) to surround and protect the damaged area, fighting off any pathogens while tissues heal.

Inflammation is an effective defense, but too much of a good thing can become harmful. Chronic inflammation can severely harm your tissues and organs. It can be triggered by the presence of chemicals like cigarette smoke or health conditions like an excess of body fat. Chronic inflammation can damage your blood vessels, form clots, and increase your chances of experiencing heart attacks or strokes. 

Products made from the milk of mammals like cows and goats are labeled as dairy products. These include butter, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. 

Typically, milk and other dairy products contain:

Sugars (carbs)

A significant type of sugar contained in milk is called lactose. If you have difficulty digesting this sugar due to an absence of the enzyme that breaks down lactose, though, you may develop a condition called lactose intolerance. This condition is characterized by symptoms similar to inflammation: including bloating, diarrhea, and cramps.

Fats

Full-fat milk and other dairy products contain a lot of saturated fats. This type of fat has been linked to an increase in inflammation in some cases because it increases the absorption of inflammatory molecules called lipopolysaccharides.

Protein

Milk proteins include casein and whey. They’re usually digested by your body quite easily and have many beneficial effects like promoting weight loss, enhancing muscle tone, and improving muscle recovery, especially after workouts.

Other Nutrients

Milk and other dairy products like yogurt are highly nutritious. They’re a great source of vitamin D and B vitamins like riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin B12. In some cases, milk is even artificially fortified with additional vitamin D. Vitamin D supports immune function, manages inflammation, and maintains bone health. The B group of vitamins, meanwhile, is responsible for optimal nerve function and energy production.

Milk, cheese, and yogurt are also rich sources of calcium, which is an essential mineral that enhances bone health and maintains proper nerve and muscle function.

Some dairy products like yogurt also contain probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that enhance your gut health and immune function.

Additionally, dairy products are considered one of the best sources of an essential fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Your body cannot produce this acid naturally, so you can only obtain it from your diet. CLA has been associated with many health benefits like fat loss.

Some foods can cause inflammation (proinflammatory), whereas other may prevent it (anti-inflammatory). Milk and milk products seem to fall into either category, depending on the person. This variation may also be due to the different study methodologies and the varied demographics, health conditions, and diets of the study populations. 

If you’re allergic to milk or have lactose intolerance, you may experience an inflammatory reaction after consuming any dairy products. Drinking milk or eating any dairy products has also been linked to an increased risk of developing an inflammatory condition called acne, especially among teenagers and young adults.

On the other hand, according to a 2019 review, consuming milk or dairy products didn’t cause or increase inflammation in people without related health conditions like lactose intolerance. Another study in children between the ages of 2 and 18 supported these findings by confirming that eating full-fat dairy products didn’t generally increase inflammation.

In fact, the latest research shows that dairy may even combat inflammation in some cases. A 2017 review of more than 50 clinical trials found that dairy products (both full-fat and low-fat) were able to decrease inflammatory activity in people with metabolic disorders.

Thus, the currently available evidence is unable to link every type of dairy to inflammation in most cases. This may not be true for specific dairy products like cheese, which has been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (a chronic condition involving low-grade inflammation). However, the dairy product yogurt has been linked to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Additional research is warranted to clarify which components of dairy are pro- or anti-inflammatory, which dairy products (if any) promote inflammation, and which products you should avoid to decrease chronic inflammation. 

Milk and milk products are highly nutritious and have been associated with many health benefits. For example, consuming milk protein can promote weight loss, enhance muscle tone, and improve workout recovery. The nutrients in dairy products also support immune function and bone health. 

Inflammation is your body’s natural defense mechanism, but it can eventually become harmful. Full-fat milk and other dairy products have been loosely associated with certain inflammatory conditions like acne by some studies, but others suggest that dairy is not necessarily inflammatory.

If you’re allergic to dairy or lactose intolerant, consider eliminating all dairy products from your diet to avoid experiencing symptoms like bloating or cramping. However, if you don’t have any health risks, consider consuming dairy for its beneficial effects. Before including dairy in your regular diet, of course, don’t hesitate to contact your healthcare provider for any guidance.