When You Stop Eating Dairy, This Is What Happens To Your Body

Dairy is as ubiquitous as the air we breathe and, for many people, dairy products make up a large part of their diet. As a staple for thousands of years, the dairy industry is showing no signs of slowing down, with the worldwide industry projected to grow to over a trillion dollars by 2024 (per Statista). Aside from the fact that dairy products are cheap, readily available, and delicious (see: cheese), they also easily provide some fundamental nutrients needed by our bodies. "Dairy is a good source of vitamin D (when fortified), protein, and nutrients, including calcium and potassium," says registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller to Business Insider.

But, it's not all rosy. Lactose intolerance — where your body struggles to absorb and digest dairy products, resulting in unpleasant symptoms — is a highly common problem, with roughly one in three people in the U.S. having lactose malabsorption (per the NIH). What's more, the dairy industry has a huge impact on the environment, with high emissions of greenhouse gases and lack of sustainability associated with dairy farming, according to World Wildlife. This begs the question: do we need dairy? And what happens to our bodies if we give it up? Join us as we find out.

Trying to battle cheese cravings after giving up dairy? There's a reason that extends beyond the sheer deliciousness of the food. When you stop eating dairy, your body can react with tangible withdrawal symptoms, causing you to crave the lost food in your diet. According to naturopathic doctor Serena Goldstein, based in New York, dairy "acts on our opiate receptors that mimic feelings of addiction" (per Bustle). Indeed, a 2015 study demonstrated that cheese is addictive (via Mount Sinai). Although any symptoms you experience will vary, if you're cutting it out suddenly you could discover that you're finding it harder to sleep, or conversely more fatigued, according to nutritionist Frida Harju-Westman for Insider.

If you're cutting out dairy, the most important thing to do so that your body doesn't react negatively is to replace the nutrients you're getting from dairy with other food sources, states Livestrong. Fortified soy products can be a great replacement, as well as calcium sources like leafy greens, canned fish, or milk alternatives like almond or rice milk. Keeping an eye on your vitamin B2 intake is also important, as this can suffer if you're giving up dairy products; mushrooms, seafood, and fortified cereals can be worthy replacements here.

Remember adults telling you that you had to drink your milk to grow big, strong bones? They weren't wrong. Giving up dairy products could cause your bones to suffer and lose strength, partly due to the efficiency with which dairy supplies your bones with necessary nutrients. "The reason why dairy products work is that they contain not only calcium and protein but also phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, potassium, and other things associated with good bone health," states Dr. Robert Heaney, bone biology specialist and professor of medicine at Creighton University, Omaha, to WebMD. "It's the logical way to go."

So, if you're giving up dairy and not actively replacing it with food sources that supply these, your bones could start to weaken. Remember, however, that there are loads of dietary sources of these nutrients; although calcium and vitamin D are often brought up as bone-essential nutrients that come in milk, "there are other sources of food containing both of these," says nutrition and exercise science professor at Central Washington University Kelly Pritchett to The Healthy. With vitamin D, says Pritchett, "our best source of vitamin D is from the sun — food isn't a great source."

There's a reason why those protein shakes that the bodybuilders slam in the gym are often derived from dairy — it's an excellent natural source of protein. "An important macronutrient you gain from dairy is protein, which is essential for building muscles and helping your organs and bones to correctly function," states nutritionist Frida Harju-Westman to Cosmopolitan. "If you decide to go dairy-free then you need to pay closer attention to this."

The amount of protein that adults eat daily is often much higher than we need. Our minimum daily recommended intake is roughly 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight each day, according to Harvard Health Publishing. As such, there's no reason to panic if dairy isn't a big part of your diet, and finding food sources that replace the protein lost is easily done. Aside from meat, protein sources like beans and certain nuts can not only be great choices but also cover other nutrients lost like calcium, says nutritionist Cynthia Sass for Health. Plant-derived protein, like pea protein, can also be a fine alternative, especially when coming in products that mimic dairy so you don't miss it too much.

Do you find yourself with a sore head a little too often? The answer could lie in the dairy you eat. There's a long-standing association between dairy consumption and headaches and, according to nutritionist Frida Harju-Westman, it can come from a natural chemical that's often found in cheeses, called tyramine, which can, for some people, contribute to the onset of migraines and headaches (via Insider)." Tyramine, an amino acid, can also be found in meat products and fermented foods and is usually more common in aged or smoked products. Reducing dairy and, therefore, reducing tyramine, could help alleviate headaches.

However, there's a drawback to stopping eating dairy which could increase your frequency of headaches. As dairy is rich in vitamin B12, reducing intake can cause a B12 deficiency which can be a cause of headaches, according to Harju-Westman. And, although people often cite dairy as the cause of a sore head, a large-scale study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that people who ate more dairy actually had fewer headaches than people who ate less. If you find you suffer from headaches frequently, it could be worth experimenting with your diet to troubleshoot the source.

Joint pain can be a common concern for people of all ages, and for the 54 million American adults that have arthritis, over a quarter of them experience severe joint pain according to the CDC. Both periodic and chronic inflammation can contribute to this, and that's why it might be good to know that reducing your dairy intake could mean you experience less inflammation throughout your body. "Dairy products such as cheese and full-fat cow's milk contain saturated fat, and saturated fat can increase inflammation," advises registered dietitian Ashley Kitchens to Eat This. This is particularly noticeable if you have a dairy allergy or sensitivity, which can trigger an inflammatory response, although those with lactose intolerances may experience different symptoms that don't involve inflammation.

However, the association between dairy and inflammation is far from confirmed. A review of studies published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that dairy products and proteins have "neutral to beneficial effects on biomarkers of inflammation," and that more studies are needed to focus more clearly on the link between the two.

Got a stuffed-up nose or a cough? Giving up dairy could help. According to nutrition coach Amina AlTai, "Dairy sensitivities can often cause respiratory distress, so I've seen clients who've given up dairy and it's profoundly impacted their asthma or they finally got rid of a chronic cough." (via Bustle)

So, if you're noticing that your airways are clearer once giving up dairy, it could be a sign of an undiagnosed dairy sensitivity or allergy. It's important to note the difference between that and lactose intolerance, and the difference in symptoms that can occur from each. Lactose intolerance affects the digestive system, causing gastric symptoms due to the inability to break down lactose, whereas a dairy allergy involves your immune system and prompts a reaction that can be observed in your breathing system and skin, as well as your digestive system (per WebMD). If you suspect you have either, the best thing to do is to talk with your physician and undergo tests to determine the best course of action. But, noticing that symptoms like a cough clear up with no dairy is a good indicator to give your doctor a call.