Although milk is nutritious, it is not suitable for everyone. The following people should not drink milk, as it is not conducive to recovering their health.
1. People frequently exposed to lead: The lactose in milk can promote the absorption and accumulation of lead in the human body, easily leading to lead poisoning. Therefore, people frequently exposed to lead should not drink milk and can instead consume yogurt, as it contains very little lactose, most of which has been converted into lactic acid.
2. People with lactose intolerance: Some people have a severe deficiency of lactase in their bodies, which means the lactose in the milk they consume cannot be converted into galactose and glucose for absorption and utilization by the small intestine. Instead, it goes directly to the large intestine, increasing the osmotic pressure in the intestinal cavity and causing the intestinal mucosa to absorb a large amount of water. Additionally, when lactose is fermented by bacteria in the intestine, it can produce lactic acid, lowering the intestinal pH value below 6, which irritates the large intestine and causes symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, and diarrhea. (90% of Chinese people have lactose intolerance).
3. People allergic to milk: Some people experience symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea after drinking milk. In severe cases, allergic reactions can even include rhinitis, asthma, or urticaria.
4. Patients with reflux esophagitis: Milk has the effect of reducing the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter, which increases the reflux of gastric or intestinal juice, worsening esophagitis.
5. Patients who have undergone abdominal or gastric surgery: The patient's lactase levels can be affected and reduced. After drinking milk, the undigested lactose ferments in the body, producing water, lactic acid, and a large amount of carbon dioxide, causing the patient to become bloated. During abdominal surgery, the intestines are exposed to the air for extended periods, and the mesentery is stretched, delaying the recovery of postoperative intestinal motility. Gas produced from swallowing or fermentation in the intestinal cavity cannot be expelled in time, worsening bloating, which can lead to abdominal pain, increased intra-abdominal pressure, and even the rupture of suture sites or the opening of abdominal incisions. After gastric surgery, the remaining gastric pouch is very small, and milk containing lactose rapidly rushes into the small intestine, making an already insufficient or deficient lactase level even more insufficient or deficient.
6. Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): This is a common functional bowel disorder characterized by abnormal physiological responses of intestinal muscle movement and intestinal mucous membrane secretion to stimuli, without any structural damage to the intestines. Symptoms are mainly related to psychological factors and food allergies, including allergies to milk and its products.
7. Patients with iron-deficiency anemia, lactase deficiency, cholecystitis, or pancreatitis: Should not drink milk. Those with a weak spleen and stomach causing diarrhea, or with phlegm-dampness accumulation, should use it with caution.
8. People with lactose intolerance: Dosage must be controlled. Generally, 200ml is fine, but some individuals can only drink very little milk or none at all, otherwise, it will cause bloating and diarrhea.
9. Patients with stones: Please follow your doctor's advice and do not drink milk without consulting them.
10. The elderly should not drink too much milk. Milk is recognized worldwide as an important source of calcium supplementation due to its rich nutrition, high calcium content, and high absorption and utilization rate by the body. For many years, many elderly people have chosen to drink more milk to supplement their calcium.
Although milk is a good source of calcium, for the elderly, drinking too much milk for this purpose is not worth it, as milk can promote the development of senile cataracts. The reason is that milk contains 5% lactose, which can easily deposit in the lens of the elderly eye and affect its normal metabolism. Furthermore, proteins are prone to denaturation, leading to a decrease in lens transparency, which can induce or worsen senile cataracts.