You may love chocolate, but it may not love you. If chocolate gives you abdominal cramping, diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea or vomiting, a number of factors can cause the pain. Chocolate can cause gut-wrenching symptoms if you have allergies or sensitivities to milk or other ingredients. Many intestinal disorders cause similar gastrointestinal symptoms.
Lactose Intolerance
Most of the world's population has lactose intolerance, according to NetDoctor UK. An enzyme called lactase breaks down lactose, the main sugar in milk, so your intestines can absorb it. Lactase production decreases with age, so even if you've tolerated milk products for years, you may suddenly develop diarrhea, gas, bloating and abdominal cramping 30 minutes to 2 hours after you eat chocolate, which contains milk. The only chocolate that doesn't contain lactose is dark chocolate. Many people with lactose intolerance can tolerate some milk before experiencing symptoms, so you may not experience symptoms after one chocolate candy; however, a whole box might cause GI distress.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a bowel disorder that affects the large intestine. Symptoms of IBS include abdominal cramping, bloating, gas and either diarrhea or constipation. Both fat and milk can cause problems if you have IBS -- a double whammy for chocolate, which contains both. To be diagnosed with IBS, you must meet certain criteria, called the Rome criteria, in addition to having the typical GI symptoms, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains.
Allergy
Many experts, including allergist Bradley Chipps, M.D., feel chocolate allergy is rare, if it exists at all. But milk and nuts, two common ingredients often found in chocolate, are two of the eight most common allergens, which account for 90 percent of all allergic reactions, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In addition to abdominal pain, diarrhea, cramping, nausea and vomiting, milk and nut allergy can also cause systemic reactions such as trouble breathing, swelling, rashes and hives.
Considerations
If milk allergy or lactose intolerance causes stomach upset when you eat chocolate, you may still be able to get your chocolate fix from dark chocolate, which, unlike milk chocolate, usually doesn't contain milk. Talk to your doctor before trying any type of chocolate if you have allergy symptoms after eating chocolate. Read labels carefully because an allergy, whether it's to the milk or some other ingredient in the chocolate, can cause a severe, even potentially life-threatening reaction beyond the stomach ache you may experience.
Member Comments