Diarrhea Milk: Why does milk cause diarrhea?

Dairy products are a standard part of the daily diet for many people. However, if milk causes diarrhea or other unpleasant symptoms, eating habits must be reconsidered and changed. One option for this is switching to a vegan diet.

But even if you avoid dairy products , you may be wondering why your digestive system reacts with discomfort to consuming milk. That's why we've listed some common reasons for you in our article. Because lactose intolerance is often behind the symptoms, we will also discuss how this can be diagnosed in the following sections.

We will then give you tips to ensure that your symptoms improve as quickly as possible. As a person affected, it is not only important to know what helps against a bloated stomach , but also what provides relief from diarrhea .

Finally, we'll tell you how you can eat healthily despite lactose intolerance. Ultimately, nutrition influences your well-being and provides the energy you need to carry out your daily activities.

No matter how severe the symptoms are after consuming dairy products , it is important that you listen to your body and take its signals seriously and look for vegan alternatives to cow's milk. Then you no longer have to put unnecessary strain on your digestive system and you will feel physically better.

Reasons for the complaints

The reasons for gastrointestinal problems are varied. Diarrhea is also known as diarrhea and is caused, for example, by infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria or viruses.

You should also be careful with spoiled food. If you are unsure whether a food is still good , you should smell it and only taste a small amount. You can usually feel whether something is still edible. The appearance of the food also provides information about its condition. If you see mold, you should stop eating it and throw it away.

Another cause are side effects of medications . Antibiotics in particular can disrupt the natural intestinal flora and lead to a temporary change in stool consistency. Too high a level of stress can also lead to irritable bowel syndrome. This is sometimes accompanied by abdominal pain. If you often suffer from digestive problems, you should pay attention to whether these particularly occur in stressful situations.

Feelings of fear also play a role here. If you are very excited because an important appointment is coming up or you are afraid of something, this can irritate the gastrointestinal tract.

At the same time, nutrition obviously plays a relevant role. Excessive alcohol consumption can irritate the stomach, as can dietary errors.

There are also food intolerances and allergies , such as an allergy to preservatives . If consuming milk gives you diarrhea, you may be suffering from lactose intolerance. This is a digestive disorder in which the body has difficulty breaking down and digesting lactose. Because lactase is naturally contained in dairy products, those affected suffer from stomach problems after consuming them.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance usually appear between thirty minutes and a few hours after consuming milk and can be very mild or severe. In addition to diarrhea, a number of other complaints are possible.

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Other symptoms of lactose intolerance


A sudden food intolerance such as lactose intolerance can lead to a number of other physical problems. On the one hand, this is general pain in the stomach area. These can be felt as cramping or pressing.

Sometimes the diarrhea is accompanied by flatulence . These occur when there is too much air in the intestines. Your body gets rid of this with the help of flatulence. Flatulence is therefore a gas that is released to the outside. Sometimes this situation can be very unpleasant if it is accompanied by noises or smells. Your stomach may also feel bloated or a little tight.

But the opposite, constipation caused by milk , is also very annoying. Constipation is often associated with pressing abdominal pain or unpleasant pressure in the upper abdomen and is manifested by the fact that bowel movements do not occur regularly.

Durchfall durch Milch

Some people complain of nausea and feel unwell after consuming milk . You may feel like you want to vomit. Fortunately, these symptoms subside relatively quickly.

You may also feel very irritable. Because physical complaints affect our psyche . If you suffer from stomach pain, it is normal that you do not go through the day happily. You may also feel weak and may not have an appetite, but would rather have some peace and quiet.

How severe the symptoms are varies from person to person. Among other things, it depends on how many dairy products you have consumed and how sensitive your body reacts to them. Some people react to even small amounts with symptoms such as stomach pain or flatulence .

Determination of lactose intolerance

You can determine with the help of a doctor whether lactose intolerance is actually to blame for your symptoms. In preparation for this, you should write down what you eat for two weeks and whether you notice any changes in your digestive system afterwards. You can then discuss this protocol with your doctor so that a detailed anamnesis is possible.

The doctor may then recommend an elimination diet . You temporarily eliminate dairy products and see whether the symptoms continue or disappear. If lactose intolerance is to blame, the symptoms should no longer occur by eliminating the corresponding foods .

Another option to determine lactose intolerance is a breath and blood test . During the breath test, the patient is given a certain amount of lactose and then the hydrogen content in the breath is measured. If the body has difficulty breaking down lactose, it produces more hydrogen. Since this is exhaled, it can be determined accordingly.

The lactase content in the blood can also be measured. Since people with lactose intolerance tend to have lower lactase levels, a determination is also possible here. In most cases, however, the breath test is used because it provides quick and reliable results without a puncture.

In order to have a certain result as to whether you are affected by a food intolerance, you should always go to a doctor. You can use a food diary to determine whether you are sensitive to lactose. However, you cannot rule out whether the symptoms are actually a serious illness. You will receive a well-founded diagnosis from a doctor.

At the same time, they can advise you on how to keep your diet balanced. Because if you suddenly cut out dairy products, you may be missing out on important nutrients. However, you can specifically balance these out with other foods. If you would like to use dietary supplements, you should seek advice from a doctor or nutrition expert .

What helps with diarrhea?

If you have diarrhea, those affected want quick help. This also applies if you have stomach pain after milk but are not lactose intolerant . It may be that the dairy product was bad and that is why you have indigestion.

To get back on your feet as quickly as possible, you should heed these tips:

  • Drink enough : Make sure to replenish fluid loss. To do this, you should drink a lot, preferably water or tea. It's better to avoid sweet drinks.
  • Eat consciously : You should avoid fatty foods for the time being. Instead, choose foods that are easy to digest. Oat flakes or rusks are suitable for this. Bananas, apples or rice can also be good for the body.
  • Rest : If you are not feeling well, you should take it easy if possible. Avoid stress and lie down for a while, if your everyday life allows this. A short nap can help you feel better.


If your symptoms bother you too much, you can buy medication at the pharmacy that promises improvement. It is best to seek advice from a pharmacist. However, medicine should not be seen as a permanent solution. If the symptoms do not disappear after two days , it is advisable to see a doctor. They can examine you and tell you whether a food intolerance is really behind your problem.

You can also try different home remedies. A hot water bottle is also good for some of those affected. It is also helpful to replenish the mineral balance with electrolytes. This includes, for example, potassium. Special nutritional supplements are available for this. You can also find potassium in nuts and whole grain products.

If you feel up to it, you can also go for a walk. Exercise contributes to normal digestion and can help you relax. Consciously concentrate on your surroundings to forget your complaints for a few moments.

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Living with lactose intolerance

If you are sure that you have lactose intolerance, you should adapt to these circumstances. This means that you should avoid dairy products in the future. Due to the wide range of vegan alternatives, this is usually not a problem. These are now available in every supermarket.

Milk substitute products consist, for example, of:

  • Oatmeal : These are mixed with water and then filtered. Because of its rather neutral taste, oat milk is popular to drink, but is also used for cooking and baking.
  • Cashews : The nuts are only delicious for snacking, but are also great for replacing milk . However, cashew drinks are around twice as expensive as substitute products made from oat flakes.
  • Soy milk : To make soy milk, soybeans are soaked and cooked to form a porridge. This forms the basis for the milk substitute. However, not everyone likes the taste of soy. You should also pay attention to the origin when buying, as rainforests are often destroyed to grow soy.


You can also find almond milk, coconut milk and rice milk among the milk substitute products. It's best to test out some alternatives. Then you find out which one you like best. These alternatives are suitable as a milk substitute for coffee .

Of course, there are also numerous dairy products in vegan form. You can still eat yogurt, cheese and other things - without any animal additives. In this way, you are not only doing something good for your health by no longer exposing him to the problems of your intolerance. At the same time, you ensure that no animal has to suffer for your food.

Do you still need inspiration for your diet change? Then take a look at the Greenforce website. There you will find delicious vegan products that you can easily prepare. How about, for example, our oat milk that you can mix yourself ? In addition to our milk alternative, try out the popular meat substitute products . From bratwurst to schnitzel to burgers and cevapcici, we have a wide range. There's something for everyone!

How does healthy eating work?

Despite a food intolerance , you can eat a balanced, healthy diet to keep your body healthy. This requires careful food selection to meet the needs of needed nutrients. Pay particular attention to diversity in your diet. It should definitely include whole grain products, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats. Minerals and proteins are also important, but protein can cause bloating .

It also makes sense to pay attention to portion sizes. For example, eating only fruit all day is of little use because you then lack other nutrients. If you eat a variety of foods, you'll get something from everyone. Professional nutritional advice can help you with this. Especially if you have a food intolerance, avoiding certain foods can quickly lead to deficiency symptoms.

Another aspect that makes up a healthy diet is the moderate consumption of salt and sugar . For example, try to buy low-salt foods and reduce the use of salt when cooking. At first you may have the impression that your food tastes bland without salt. Over time, however, you will notice that you perceive the taste of the food differently and more intensely. The same applies to limiting sugar consumption.

If you keep these things in mind, you can eat healthily even if you get diarrhea from milk .