Does milk relieve stomach ulcers?

Dear Doctor: Is it true cattle keepers do not get ulcers because milk cures and prevents ulcers? I am a cattle keeper and yet I was diagnosed with ulcers.

Canon Enock

Dear Enock: Peptic ulcer disease refers to painful sores in the lining of the stomach or the first part of the small intestine, (the duodenum) or the part of the gut before the stomach. These are areas usually exposed to the acid produced by the stomach.

Though a thick layer of mucus and a strong membrane normally protect the stomach from the effect of stomach acids, infection (helicobacter pylori), painkillers called NSAIDs (e.g diclofenac, indocid, aspirin), or excess production of acid (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome) may reduce this protective layer, causing wounds (ulcers).

Rarely are ulcers (Curling’s ulcers) caused by stress. However, missing meals or eating spicy foods can make ulcers more painful, even though they are not the cause of ulcers.

Treatment of ulcers includes lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking or minimising alcohol consumption, stopping use of the said painkillers and eradication of helicobacter pylori.

Milk provides brief relief from ulcer pain because it coats the stomach lining and also mixes and dilutes stomach acid. In some people, milk may stimulate the stomach to produce more acid and digestive juices, which can aggravate ulcers. Since peptic ulcers are mostly caused by helicobacter pylori germs and painkillers which can affect even milk consumers, these people will not escape from peptic ulcers.

Until recently, the helicobacter pylori germ had not been established as a cause of peptic ulcers and milk with magnesium trisilicate were panacea treatment for any abdominal pain especially suspected to be due to peptic ulcers.
It was assumed that milk taken regularly prevented peptic ulcers.

With better diagnosis of peptic ulcers, it is now clear that regular milk consumers suffer from peptic ulcers as much as other people.