The Doctor Gluten Project

“Is it necessary to go dairy-free for 3 months when first going gluten-free?” asks Stephanie.  What a good question.

1 – If your gut has been damaged by gluten, then you might not be able to absorb the lactose sugar that is in cow’s milk.  This means that a lactose malabsorption might be giving you some diarrhoea or bloating.  In these circumstances it is a good idea to cut out dairy for a few weeks as you go gluten-free.  If the lactose intolerance is from the gut damage, then when you gut has healed (after about a month) you can begin to take milk again.

2 – Some people who are sensitive to gluten are also intolerant to cow’s milk protein (a type of milk allergy). In these circumstances it is a good idea to cut out dairy for a few months (or even years maybe). 

3 – Some people who reacted to milk have found that after a few months on a gluten–free diet then they were able to tolerate dairy again.

4 – Most people who are gluten-sensitive do not have any problems with cow’s milk. 

So ... Is it necessary to go dairy-free for 3 months when first going gluten-free?

The answer is not unless you have ongoing bloating and diarrhoea. Rodney Ford