Milk is highly nutritious and rich in a variety of minerals, including high levels of calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and molybdenum. However, not everyone can drink milk. People suffering from the following conditions should avoid milk, as it is not conducive to recovery and may even worsen their condition.
1. Patients with peptic ulcers
Although milk can alleviate the irritation from stomach acid on the ulcer, it can stimulate the gastrointestinal mucosa to secrete a large amount of stomach acid, worsening the condition.
2. Patients with iron-deficiency anemia
Dietary iron needs to be converted into ferrous iron in the digestive tract to be absorbed and utilized. If milk is consumed, the ferrous iron in the body will combine with the calcium and phosphorus salts in milk to form insoluble compounds, affecting iron absorption and hindering recovery for anemia patients.
3. Individuals with symptoms of bloating, excessive flatulence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea
Although these symptoms are not caused by milk, drinking it can exacerbate them. Therefore, people who frequently experience bloating, excessive flatulence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea should not drink milk.
4. Patients with reflux esophagitis
Milk containing fat can affect the contraction of the lower esophageal sphincter, thereby increasing the reflux of gastric or intestinal fluids and worsening esophagitis symptoms.
5. Patients with cholecystitis and pancreatitis
The digestion of fat in milk requires the participation of bile and pancreatic lipase. Drinking milk will increase the burden on the gallbladder and pancreas, thereby aggravating the condition.
6. Patients after abdominal surgery
These patients often have intestinal bloating. Milk contains a relatively high amount of fat and casein, which is not easily digested in the gastrointestinal tract. It can ferment and produce gas, worsening intestinal bloating and hindering the recovery of intestinal peristalsis.
7. Workers exposed to lead
The lactose in milk can promote the absorption and accumulation of lead in the human body, thereby exacerbating and causing lead poisoning, with symptoms such as dizziness, insomnia, and fatigue. Additionally, children with potential lead exposure should also avoid drinking milk.
8. Patients with lactase deficiency
Milk has a high lactose content, but it must be broken down into galactose and glucose by the enzyme lactase in the digestive tract before it can be absorbed by the body. If lactase is deficient, consuming milk can lead to abdominal pain and diarrhea.
9. Individuals allergic to milk
Some people experience symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea after drinking milk. In severe cases, allergies can even lead to rhinitis, asthma, or urticaria.
10. Patients with kidney stones
After sleep, urine volume decreases, and the concentration of various substances in urine increases, making the urine more concentrated. Since milk is high in calcium, most kidney stones contain calcium salts. The most dangerous factor for stone formation is a sudden short-term increase in the concentration of calcium in urine. 2-3 hours after drinking milk is the peak time for calcium to be excreted by the kidneys. If this occurs during sleep, when urine is concentrated, a large amount of calcium passes through the kidneys, making stone formation more likely.