Stomach pain that occurs after eating pizza has various causes. The common causes include food allergy, celiac disease or lactose intolerance. It is vital to set an appointment with a doctor regarding the symptoms before attempting any form of treatment.
It is important to note that pizza includes wheat, milk products and soy. These ingredients can instigate a variety of digestive issues depending on the condition of the individual. If the pain or discomfort is intense, a doctor should be consulted right away.
Is it a food allergy?
If the individual is sensitive to milk, soy or wheat, he/she might end up with stomach pain after consuming pizza. The common food allergens present in pizza include soy, milk and wheat.
When it comes to food allergies, the immune system erroneously perceives the proteins in the ingredients as a hazard and starts to defend the body. Antibodies as well as histamine are released which triggers the allergy symptoms including stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea.
Lactose intolerance
This is a common condition that triggers stomach pain and other digestive symptoms, usually 30 minutes after eating dairy products. The cheese on pizza includes lactose which is a sugar mainly found in milk.
If the individual is lactose intolerant, the small intestines does not produce enough lactase which is the enzyme needed to digest complex sugar. If this enzyme is missing, the intestines become inflamed and irritated by the bacterium that forms to break down the lactose. The individual might be able to eat pizza without experiencing stomach pain if a lactase enzyme supplement is used before eating.
Celiac disease
Celiac disease is a common ailment that is linked to eating wheat-based products. Most types of pizza dough are made from wheat flour which contains gluten.
Remember that gluten is one of the proteins present in wheat. If the individual has celiac disease, the immune system attacks the villi in the small intestines if gluten is eaten. The villi are small hair-like projections lining the small intestines that absorb nutrients and proteins into the body. The precise cause of the condition is unknown, but consuming gluten can trigger intense stomach pain and cause lasting damage.
GERD
This condition might also be responsible for causing discomfort after eating pizza. Some of the commonly used pizza toppings including tomatoes in the sauce, onions and pepperoni can aggravate GERD.
If the individual ends up with symptoms after eating pizza, it is best to remove toppings to check which ones are responsible for the symptoms.