If you follow me on social media, you may have heard me say to avoid dairy frequently for different conditions and not just if you are intolerant. for many women, dairy can cause acne, heavy periods, period pain and PMS symptoms such as irritability, headaches and food cravings. I have noticed in both myself and my clients who experience these symptoms, simply avoiding dairy for 3 months made a dramatic difference to their periods and acne. If you have endometriosis, I also recommend that you strictly avoid dairy and gluten.
If you are like me and would like to understand why this happens, keep reading as we look deeper into the science behind dairy & period health
Why Does Dairy Cause Period Problems & Acne?
Elevated IGF-1, Insulin & mTOR
Dairy inherently contains hormones and growth factors that can impact the body in varying ways (It is from a lactating cow after all!). Dairy increases insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) which is a hormone that increases insulin. When insulin is elevated from dairy & sugars, it stimulates androgen production, which is a male sex hormone. Excess androgens within females commonly causes acne particularly around the chin, jawline, the neck and back. Additionally, dairy can also increase mTOR, an enzyme that stimulates keratin, inflammation and sebum production - all which can cause acne.
Inflammation & Periods
The A1 beta-casein protein within cow's milk can cause inflammation by converting to inflammatory peptides within the gut, known as beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM7). This results in stimulation of inflammatory cytokines, histamines and mast cells which all lead to menstrual pain, heavy periods and PMS (especially mood imbalances).
This will not happen to everyone though. Some people don't form the BCM7 from A1 casein and these individuals can generally tolerate normal dairy. This is where a trial and error diet can be beneficial to determine if dairy is causing you issues and if it is, you will likely be able to have A2 dairy (dairy from goats, sheep and jersey cows). Another tip to determine whether dairy could be an issue for you is a past history of upper respiratory tract infections, tonsillitis, asthma and allergies can all be connected.
Avoiding dairy is such a simply strategy that's worth trying if you struggle with period issues.
I am avoiding Dairy but I'm not noticing any improvements... now what?
To notice improvements, you will need to avoid dairy for 3 months. This is generally the time-frame it takes to notice the biggest improvements and what I have noticed in clinical practice. Of course though, dairy may not be the root cause behind your period issues and you may need additional support through specific nutrients and herbs to balance your hormones & any underlying imbalances (such as your gut health which is another major cause of period issues!).
If you are just coming off hormonal birth control and experiencing period problems, you may like to read this blog post here https://www.allisonbuckleynaturopath.com/post/balance-your-hormones-post-pill
If you would like to chat more, please feel free to book a free 10 minute chat here.
Allison xo
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