Is Milk Good for Stomach or Peptic Ulcer?

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

2. What is the Relationship between Milk and Stomach Ulcers?

3. Is Milk Good for Stomach Ulcers?

4. Which milk is good for the stomach or Peptic Ulcer?

5. Can Milk Cause Stomach Ulcers?

6. Can I drink milk with ulcers?

7. Take-Home Points

8. FAQs

Introduction

Stomach ulcers are caused by a breach in the mucosa of the stomach; there can be several causes of stomach ulcers nowadays. Most commonly, they are due to overuse of pain-relieving medications or H. pylori, which is a bacteria.  There are several other causes of stomach ulcers but the question: Is milk good for stomach ulcers and if yes which milk is good for ulcer patients?

It is an important point to keep in mind that any food cannot treat your ulcer but can worsen the symptoms or relieve the symptoms of the ulcer.

In this blog, we will cover whether milk is good for stomach ulcers. Which milk is good for stomach ulcer patients? Can milk cause stomach ulcers, etc?

What is the Relationship between Milk and Stomach Ulcers?

Milk has been considered for the treatment of stomach ulcers because of its neutralizing capacity and its calorie value. Many studies have shown Daily take of milk does not neutralize gastric acidity. 

The relationship between milk and stomach ulcers has seen a tremendous shift in understanding, and doctors have been prescribing milk for the treatment of ulcers for a long time. 

Earlier understanding: The earlier understanding was that milk could coat the stomach lining and protect it from the acidic pH of the stomach. However, this understanding has advanced in our understanding of stomach ulcers.

Newer studies: Newer studies have shown that milk can stimulate acid production while studying different types of milk, which include whole milk, fat milk, and nonfat milk. Research published in ACP journals found that all types of milk can trigger acid secretion in both ulcer patients and the normal control group. The response of acid secretion was 20 to 35% of maximum basal acid output.

Is milk good for stomach ulcers based on these studies let's have a quick look:

1. Milk for stomach ulcers can provide temporary relief from stomach ulcers but this can be misleading.

2. Protein and calcium present in milk can stimulate acid production later on which can further damage the stomach lining.

3. The main causes of stomach ulcers are H. pylori and the use of NSAIDs, which are pain-relieving medications.

4. Milk doesn't focus on both causes and, therefore, becomes ineffective for treatment.

Is Milk Good for Stomach Ulcers?

The relationship between milk and stomach ulcers has been misunderstood for a long time. We will look at whether milk is good for stomach ulcers. Recommending milk for the treatment of stomach ulcers can be counterproductive, as suggested by Newer research; here’s why?

• Immediate effects- Immediate effects of milk include relief of symptoms like a reduction in stomach pain and a momentary decrease in discomfort, but this is only temporary.

• Long-term effects- long-term effects of milk include an increase in acid production, worsening of symptoms and interference with the healing of the ulcers.

• Medical recommendations- modern medicine focuses on a long-term cure for stomach ulcers; therefore, treatment doesn't include milk for stomach ulcers, while most ulcers are treated with triple therapy, which includes proton pump inhibitors PPI and two antibiotics like clarithromycin and amoxicillin. Sometimes, quadruple therapy is also used for the treatment of stomach ulcers, which have additional bismuth sucralfate.

Which milk is good for the stomach or Peptic Ulcer?

If you are wondering, is milk good for peptic ulcers? Then, the answer is milk for stomach ulcer is not recommended for the treatment of ulcer but here are comparative effects between of type of milk and ulcer: 

1. Whole milk: Whole milk contains the highest fat about 3.25%. Whole milk can slow stomach emptying. It also increases acid production and causes the strongest acid response; therefore, it is not recommended to consume whole milk for stomach ulcers. 

2. Low-fat milk: Low-fat milk contains 1-2% of fat. They have a moderate impact on acid production, but they can still trigger a strong acid response that is not significantly better than whole milk.

3. Skim Milk: skim milk contains a minimum fat amount which is less than 0.5%, but it can still stimulate acid production, and they are not recommended for the treatment of an ulcer.

What can be an alternative if you're looking for can I drink milk with ulcers? Here are some plant-based alternatives which you can use:

1. Almond milk

2. Soy milk 

3. Oat milk

The advantage of using plant-based alternatives is that they stimulate less acid production, but keep in mind that they cannot treat the ulcer.

Research has shown the following findings:

• All types of milk stimulate acid production.

• There is no milk which has an advantage over the other.

• Plant-based milk has less potential to stimulate acid production.

• Milk for stomach ulcers cannot be used for treatment.

Can Milk Cause Stomach Ulcers?

After knowing that milk for stomach ulcers cannot be used for treatment, you may wonder, can milk cause stomach ulcers? There is no correlation between milk and ulcers. Milk cannot cause stomach ulcers directly but it can contribute to further versioning of symptoms.

What Are the Causes Of Peptic Ulcer?

1. Excessive use of NSAIDs

2. H. pylori infection

3. Excessive acid production due to stress or underlying diseases like gastric carcinoma, injury to brain burns, etc.

Can I drink milk with ulcers?

You can make an informed decision based on whether you can drink milk with ulcers or not based on the following considerations:

1. Avoid milk during an active ulcer.

2. Consume milk with other foods.

3. Consume milk in small amounts.

4. Don't drink milk on an empty stomach.

5. Consume milk at room temperature and don't consume cold milk.

6. Don't consume milk before bedtime

Now you know, is milk good for an ulcer or not? You may ask what can be better alternatives to consume instead of milk for stomach ulcers:

1. Water

2. Herbal tea 

3. Clear Broths

4. Medications

When to See a Doctor

If you are having symptoms of peptic ulcer disease, then it is important to see your doctor because proper treatment can prevent complications associated with stomach ulcers like perforation, bleeding, stricture, etc.

Here are the symptoms to look for:

1. Pain in the stomach before eating or 2 to 3 hours after eating

2. Unexplained weight loss

3. Persistent nausea or vomiting

4. Bloating

5. A feeling of fullness after eating a small meal

6. Dark tarry stools

7. Sharp pain in the stomach

8. Vomiting out blood 

9. Chronic use of pain medications 

10. previous history of ulcer

Take-Home Points

1. Stomach ulcers are caused by to breach in the mucosa of the stomach

2. Is milk good for stomach ulcers? The earlier understanding was that milk can coat the stomach lining and protect it from the acidic pH of the stomach

3. Newer studies have shown that milk can stimulate acid production milk good for stomach ulcer

4. Milk for stomach ulcers can provide temporary relief  from stomach ulcers but this can be misleading

5. Milk doesn't focus on both the causes and, therefore becomes ineffective in the treatment

6. Causes of peptic ulcer include use of NSAIDs, H pylori infection, burns, stress or any tumour in the Gastrointestinal tract.

7. Can I drink milk with ulcers? You can drink milk for stomach ulcers, but certain considerations have to be taken care of, like don't drink while on an empty stomach or before bedtime if you have an active ulcer.