What's the difference between being allergic to milk and being lactose intollerant?

Question

My allergist says I'm allergic to milk. My mother-in-law says that just means I'm lactose intollerant. Are they the same thing?

Answer 1

They are diff. Read these and the links too.

Lactose intolerance[1] is the condition in which lactase, an enzyme needed for proper metabolization of lactose (a sugar that is a constituent of milk and other dairy products), is not produced in adulthood. A lactose tolerance test, a hydrogen breath test, or a stool acidity test is required for a clinical diagnosis.[2]

Lactose intolerance can sometimes be confused with milk allergy, the former is a lack of the enzyme lactase, the latter is an autoimmune reaction (usually) to milk proteins.

With lactose intolerance, the result of consuming too much lactose is excess gas production, stomach aches and often diarrhea. Most lactose-intolerant adults can drink about 250 ml (8 oz) of milk per day without severe symptoms (McGee 2004; Swagerty et al, 2002).[3]

The majority of humans stop producing significant amounts of lactase sometime between the ages of two and five. A relatively recent genetic change caused some populations, including many northern Europeans, to continue producing lactase into adulthood. Lactose intolerance is an autosomal recessive trait, while lactase-persistence is the dominant allele. The gene is expressed and the enzyme synthesized if at least one of the two genes are able to express properly. Only when both gene expressions are affected is lactase enzyme synthesis reduced, which in turn reduces lactose digestion
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance
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Milk Allergy
Milk allergy is as an immunologically mediated adverse reaction to one or more cow's milk proteins.

In some people the ingestion of cow's milk can trigger the body into launching an inappropriate immune response to the proteins in milk resulting in an allergic reaction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_allergy

Milk allergy is caused when the immunity system reacts against the proteins found in milk. This happens due to the lack of the immune system to learn to recognize milk proteins as being harmless. When unwanted bodies (proteins) enter our system the immune system is altered and reacts against the protein to destroy it and protect our body. Read about its causes, symptoms, tests, diagnoses, and milk alternative

http://www.lactose.co.uk/

Answer 2

Lactose intolerant means that your intestinal tract has a very hard time digesting milk which makes stools very unorthodox. Being allergic to milk means that your entire body has an allergic reaction upon consuming or even touching milk such as skin hives and your neck may shrink making it hard to breath.

Answer 3

No, they are not the same thing. Being allergic to milk (the protein) is a lot more rare than being lactose intolerant. Please see the following information: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/stevecarper/livallg.htm

Answer 4

yes and no, you could just be allergic to milk and not any other dairy products or you could be allergic to all dairy products, milk, cheese, etc.

Answer 5

Sounds like the same thing to me. I'm sure you can find out online.