Deadly A1 casein - we need to move away from Holstein cows!

[Taka]

The Inflammation From A1 Milk Is Mind-Boggling

For some people, cow’s milk is simply devastating to health. We can wish for milk to be healthy because of its calcium and protein. We can hope that milk is better if it’s raw or organic.

We cannot get around the fact that one of the proteins in milk—A1 casein—is highly inflammatory for some people. In susceptible individuals, A1 casein is cleaved to form a powerful inflammatory opiate called casomorphin.

Not all cows produce A1 casein. It comes from Holstein and Friesian cows who are the dominant breeds in western Europe, North America and Australia. Dairy cows in Africa, Asia, Iceland and southern Europe make milk with mostly A2 casein. Those countries have a lower incidence of the conditions discussed below.

Milk that has predominantly or exclusively A2 casein is fine for most people. I find this in my clinic again and again. Goat’s milk is A2. And so is milk from Jersey cows. Dairy products that are mostly fat (such as butter) are also fine.
Which conditions suffer from A1 milk?

A1 casein is a trigger for Type 1 diabetes (the research around this is fascinating). It is also highly implicated in coronary artery disease and autoimmune disease.

Casein is involved (with gluten) in Autism and Schizophrenia. In fact, casomorphin is more damaging to the brain than the gliadorphin from gluten.

Casomorphin’s drug-like effect explains why it worsens anxiety and mood disorders, and causes cravings for dairy and sugar. Also why it causes withdrawal symptoms when it’s stopped.

The inflammation from A1 casein causes lymphatic congestion, metabolic suppression, and weight gain.

A1 milk can worsen acne, eczema, upper respiratory infections, asthma, and allergies.

It causes digestive problems, and not because of the lactose. Because of the massive histamine release from casomorphin.

Amongst my patients, I see quite clearly that A1 casein drives endometriosis. I believe it does so because it of its inflammatory, immune-disrupting effect. I have yet to see one case of endometriosis that did not improve by avoiding A1 milk.
Who is affected?

Some people are fine with A1 casein (they safely deactivate and eliminate the casomorphin). There is no simple test. It is not an allergy.

The problem occurs in people who A) lack the digestive enzymes to deactivate casomorphin, or B) have intestinal permeability which allows the reactive peptide to enter the blood stream. (Or both A and B.)

The clinical clue that I watch for is: Recurring upper respiratory infections as a child. Either ear infections, bronchitis or tonsillitis. Those infections were driven by A1 casein, and in adulthood, the same immune-disruption manifests as other inflammatory conditions.
What about raw milk?

Certain types of pasteurisation increase the amount of casomorphin in A1 dairy. Raw might be better, but it won’t solve the problem. We need to move away from Holstein cows.
Further reading:

What Dairy Does to Periods
New Zealand Professor Keith Woodford’s book Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health, and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk. I spent an entire afternoon reading it (like a kid reading Stephen King), and I love Keith’s scientist-style of writing. When referring to various studies, he takes the extra step to “run the numbers” himself.
2014 peer-reviewed animal study in the European Journal of Nutrition: Comparative evaluation of cow β-casein variants (A1/A2) consumption on Th2-mediated inflammatory response in mouse gut. (Evidence that A1 beta-casein (but not A2 casein) generates inflammatory markers including myeloperoxidase (MPO) and interleukin-4 (IL-4).)
2014 human study: Comparative effects of A1 versus A2 beta-casein on gastrointestinal measures: a blinded randomised cross-over pilot study.
2015 study: Epigenetic effects of casein-derived opioid peptides in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells.
For a very interesting and detailed update from a dairy farmer, please read Heather’s post in the comments below.

SOURCE: http://www.larabriden.com/the-inflammation-from-a1-milk-is-mind-boggling/

[Taka]

Despite the fact that one can get their daily recommendation of calcium, potassium, and protein from fruits and vegetables, the dairy industry has spent billions of dollars to convince consumers otherwise.

Got Milk? We sure hope not. Despite being a somewhat tasty addition to coffee, tea, and delectable treats, the ingredient – when pasteurized – is highly toxic to the human body. In fact, physicians such as Dr. Willet, who has conducted many studies and reviewed the research on the topic, believe milk to be more of a detriment to the human body than an aid.

This is because despite popular belief, the food has never been shown to reduce fracture risk. In fact, according to the Nurses’ Health Study, dairy may increase risk of fractures by 50%! This concerning finding is supported by the fact that countries with lowest rates of dairy and calcium consumption (like those in Africa and Asia) have the lowest rates of osteoporosis.

Considering that approximately 3/4 of the world’s population is unable to digest milk and other dairy products, it seems clear the food is not an ideal substance for consumption. However, the average consumer doesn’t know this. From celebrity endorsements to advertisements by the dairy industry, most have been taught to believe that dairy is an ideal food for optimum health.

Because there’s so much misinformation surrounding the subject, Vox recently created a video which illustrates the facade of the dairy industry. One of the points made is that despite the fact that consumers can get the daily recommendation of calcium, potassium, and protein from fruits and vegetables, the dairy industry has spent billions of dollars to convince the populace otherwise.

If you were taught that one must drink milk to grow up “big and strong,” you’re not alone. However, now is the time to get educated on the facts.

Because milk is very mucus-forming in the human body, it is believed to contribute to allergies, ear infections, Type 1 diabetes, anemia, and even constipation. In addition, the food may contribute to various types of cancers as consumption of the product increases the body’s level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

The good news is that there are plenty of tasty, creamy dairy alternatives that are not only easy-to-make, they’re affordable. ‘Milks’ from rice, almonds, cashew, hemp, and even coconut can be found in most grocery stores, and some companies even sell dairy-free ice cream – such as Ben & Jerry’s! In fact, the non-dairy milk market has surged within the past few years. Almond milk sales, in particular, have increased by 250 percent from 2000-2015 to almost $895 million.

SOURCE: http://www.trueactivist.com/how-the-dairy-industry-tricked-humans-into-believing-they-need-milk-watch/

[Taka]

Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Sep-Oct; 16(5): 856.

doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.100685
PMCID: PMC3475924

Milk proteins and human health: A1/A2 milk hypothesis

Monika Sodhi, Manishi Mukesh, Ranjit S. Kataria, Bishnu P. Mishra, and Balwinder K. Joshii

Milk from dairy cows has been regarded as nature's perfect food, providing an important source of nutrients including high quality proteins, carbohydrates and selected micronutrients. More than 95% of the cow milk proteins are constituted by caseins and whey proteins. Among the caseins, beta casein is the second most abundant protein and has excellent nutritional balance of amino acids. Different mutations in bovine beta casein gene have led to 12 genetic variants and out of these A1 and A2 are the most common. The A1 and A2 variants of beta casein differ at amino acid position 67 with histidine (CAT) in A1 and proline (CCT) in A2 milk as a result of single nucleotide difference. This polymorphism leads to a key conformational change in the secondary structure of expressed β-casein protein. Gastrointestinal proteolytic digestion of A1 variant of β-casein (raw/processed milk) leads to generation of bioactive peptide, beta casomorphin 7 (BCM7).[1] Infants may absorb BCM-7 due to an immature gastrointestinal tract whereas adults gather the biological activity locally on the intestinal brush boarder. In hydrolysed milk with variant A1 of beta-casein, BCM-7 level is 4-fold higher than in A2 milk. Initial studies on indigenous cow (Zebu type), buffalo and exotic cows (taurine type) have revealed that A1 allele is more frequent in exotic cattle while Indian native dairy cow and buffalo have only A2 allele,[2] and hence are a source for safe milk.

Recently, a relationship between disease risk and consumption of a specific bovine β-casein fraction with either A1 or A2 genetic variants has been identified. BCM7 is suggested to be associated as a risk factor for human health hazards as it can potentially affect numerous opioid receptors in the nervous, endocrine and immune system. It is also known to be an oxidant of low dietary lipoproteins (LDL) and oxidation of LDL is believed to be important in formation of arterial plaque. Epidemiological evidences claim that consumption of beta-casein A1 milk is associated as a risk factor for type-1 diabetes, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, sudden infant death syndrome, autism, schizophrenia etc.[3,4] A broad range of studies from American and European investigations has shown reduction in autistic and schizophrenic symptoms with decrease in A1 milk intake.[5] Further, animal trials have also supported the linking of type-1 diabetes to milk exposure in general and A1 beta-casein in particular.

Populations, which consume milk containing high levels of β-casein A2 variant, have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and type-1 diabetes. The A1/A2 hypothesis is both intriguing and potentially very important for public health if it is proved correct. It should be taken seriously and deeper research is needed to verify the range and nature of BCM7 interactions with the human gastrointestinal tract and whole organism. This requires more of animal trials and generation of data on human subjects having the problems related to A1/A2 beta-casein milk consumption.

[Taka]

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 623–631. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602104

The A2 milk case: a critical review

A S Truswell

This review outlines a hypothesis that A1 one of the common variants of beta-casein, a major protein in cows milk could facilitate the immunological processes that lead to type I diabetes (DM-I). It was subsequently suggested that A1 beta-casein may also be a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), based on between-country correlations of CHD mortality with estimated national consumption of A1 beta-casein in a selected number of developed countries. A company, A2 Corporation was set up in New Zealand in the late 1990s to test cows and market milk in several countries with only the A2 variant of beta-casein, which appeared not to have the disadvantages of A1 beta-casein.

The second part of this review is a critique of the A1/A2 hypothesis. For both DM-I and CHD, the between-country correlation method is shown to be unreliable and negated by recalculation with more countries and by prospective studies in individuals. The animal experiments with diabetes-prone rodents that supported the hypothesis about diabetes were not confirmed by larger, better standardised multicentre experiments. The single animal experiment supporting an A1 beta-casein and CHD link was small, short, in an unsuitable animal model and had other design weaknesses.

The A1/A2 milk hypothesis was ingenious. If the scientific evidence had worked out it would have required huge adjustments in the world's dairy industries. This review concludes, however, that there is no convincing or even probable evidence that the A1 beta-casein of cow milk has any adverse effect in humans.

This review has been independent of examination of evidence related to A1 and A2 milk by the Australian and New Zealand food standard and food safety authorities, which have not published the evidence they have examined and the analysis of it. They stated in 2003 that no relationship has been established between A1 or A2 milk and diabetes, CHD or other diseases.

SOURCE: http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v59/n5/abs/1602104a.html

[Taka]

Post by Taka
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 623–631. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602104
The A2 milk case: a critical review
A S Truswell
This review outlines a hypothesis that A1 one of the common variants of beta-casein, a major protein in cows milk could facilitate the immunological processes that lead to type I diabetes (DM-I). It was subsequently suggested that A1 beta-casein may also be a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), based on between-country correlations of CHD mortality with estimated national consumption of A1 beta-casein in a selected number of developed countries. A company, A2 Corporation was set up in New Zealand in the late 1990s to test cows and market milk in several countries with only the A2 variant of beta-casein, which appeared not to have the disadvantages of A1 beta-casein.
The second part of this review is a critique of the A1/A2 hypothesis. For both DM-I and CHD, the between-country correlation method is shown to be unreliable and negated by recalculation with more countries and by prospective studies in individuals. The animal experiments with diabetes-prone rodents that supported the hypothesis about diabetes were not confirmed by larger, better standardised multicentre experiments. The single animal experiment supporting an A1 beta-casein and CHD link was small, short, in an unsuitable animal model and had other design weaknesses.
The A1/A2 milk hypothesis was ingenious. If the scientific evidence had worked out it would have required huge adjustments in the world's dairy industries. This review concludes, however, that there is no convincing or even probable evidence that the A1 beta-casein of cow milk has any adverse effect in humans.
This review has been independent of examination of evidence related to A1 and A2 milk by the Australian and New Zealand food standard and food safety authorities, which have not published the evidence they have examined and the analysis of it. They stated in 2003 that no relationship has been established between A1 or A2 milk and diabetes, CHD or other diseases.
SOURCE: http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v59/n5/abs/1602104a.html

"Although a great amount of work must be undertaken to test the range of hypotheses associated with beta casein variants, it is somewhat premature to dismiss such hypotheses on the basis of the incomplete data set recently presented by Truswell. Furthermore, given the impact that the noted relationships may have on public health and quality of life of families with ASD children, it would be more prudent to encourage further research into the proposed relationships as opposed to drawing a seemingly impulsive conclusion to hypotheses drawn from, and supported by, epidemiological analysis, animal studies and studies into the biochemistry of milk-derived bioactive peptides."

MORE: http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v60/n7/full/1602276a.html

[Taka]

"BCM-7 is a mu-opioid receptor ligand. It will dock to the mu-opioid receptors which are expressed widely throughout your body - most prominently, obviously, to those in your gut."

MORE: http://suppversity.blogspot.jp/2014/09/true-or-false-there-is-good-a2-and-bad.html

[Taka]

Devil in the Milk Illness, Health, and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk

I have thought about the medicinal aspects of cow’s milk for virtually my entire medical career. As one four-year-old child pointed out to me many years ago, “Mommy, I know why he always talks about milk, his name is Cow—-an.” So, I guess this milk “obsession” is no surprise.

The obsession started in earnest about twenty-five years ago when I read the book The Milk of Human Kindness Is Not Pasteurized by maverick physician William Campbell Douglass, MD. This was one of the most influential books I have ever read. I became convinced that a large part of the disease in this country is related to the way we handle, or rather mishandle, milk and milk products. Raw and cultured dairy products from healthy grass-fed cows are one of the healthiest foods people have ever eaten; in fact, they are the very foundation of western civilization. On the other hand, pasteurized, and particularly low-fat, milk products have caused more disease than perhaps any other substance people are generally in contact with. This view was reinforced when I met and joined up with Sally Fallon and learned the principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation. End of story, I assumed; but I could stop thinking about milk.

Over the years, however, every once in a while Sally would say to me, “You know, we have the wrong cows here.” I had also heard this comment from assorted bio-dynamic farmers but didn’t really know what to make of it or whether this was a medical issue I should be tackling. All along, though, I felt that something was not quite right. It remained unmistakably true that many of my patients, in spite of eating only the proper dairy products, still had illness and still seemed not to tolerate milk. Truth be told, for most of my adult life I myself couldn’t drink any kind of raw milk without feeling a bit sick and congested. Somehow my story with milk wasn’t quite finished.

Along came the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet, and my discovery of the use of low dose naltrexone, both of which I have described in previous writings, but the relevance here is that many patients only improved and recovered when they eliminated milk (but not other dairy products) from their diets and took a medication that stimulated endogenous (one’s own) endorphin production.

Then, a further nudge in the direction of this topic showed up about a month ago. I was asked to consider writing the foreword to a book called Devil in the Milk, written by agribusiness professor and farm-management consultant Keith Woodford. In this book Dr. Woodford lays out the theory that there is a devil in some of our milk, and this is something we need to come to grips with. Here is a brief synopsis of the main thesis of his book.

Milk consists of three parts: 1) butterfat, 2) whey and 3) milk solids. For this story we are only concerned about the milk solids part, as the fat and whey don’t have this “devil.” The milk solids part is composed of many different proteins, along with lactose and other sugars. It is the protein part of the solids we’re interested in. One of these proteins is called casein, of which there are many different types, but the one casein we are interested in is the predominant protein called beta-casein.

All proteins are long chains of amino acids that have many “branches” coming off different parts of the main chain. Beta-casein is a chain of 229 amino acids with proline at postion 67—at least the proline is there in “old-fashioned” cows. These cows with proline at number 67 are called A2 cows, and are the older breeds of cows (such as Jerseys, Asian and African cows). Some five thousand years ago, a mutation occurred in this proline amino acid, converting it to histidine. Cows that have this mutated beta-casein are called A1 cows, which include more modern breeds like Holsteins.

The side chain that comes off amino acid 67 is called BCM 7. BCM 7 is a small protein (called a peptide) that is a very powerful opiate and which has some undesirable effects on animals and humans. What’s important here is the fact that proline has a strong bond to BCM 7 which helps keep it from getting into the milk, so that essentially no BCM 7 is found in the urine, blood or GI tract of old-fashioned A2 cows.

On the other hand, histidine, the mutated protein, only weakly holds on to BCM 7, so it is liberated in the GI tract of animals and humans who drink A1 cow milk, and it is found in significant quantity in the blood and urine of these animals.

Woodford describes research showing that the opiate BCM 7 can cause neurological impairment in animals and people exposed to it, especially autistic and schizophrenic changes. BCM 7 interferes with the immune response, and injecting BCM 7 into animal models has been shown to provoke Type 1 diabetes. Dr. Woodford presents research showing a direct correlation between a population’s exposure to A1 cow’s milk and the incidence of auto-immune disease, heart disease (BCM 7 has a pro-inflammatory effect on the blood vessels), type-1 diabetes, autism, and schizophrenia. What really caught my eye is the finding that BCM 7 selectively binds to the epithelial cells in the mucous membranes (such as in the nose) and stimulates mucus secretion.

For reasons that are unclear historically, once this mutation occurred many thousands of years ago, the A1 beta-casein gene spread rapidly in many countries in the western world. Some have speculated that the reason for this wide spread of A1 cows is that the calves drinking A1 milk and exposed to the opiate BCM 7 are more docile than their traditional brethren (in effect, they were stoned). This theory is only speculation, of course. But what is true is that basically all American dairy cows have this mutated betacasein and are predominantly A1 cows.

Consider French cheese—mostly due to culinary snobbery, the French never accepted these A1 breeds of cow, claiming they have lousy milk. Voilà, the French enjoy superlative milk and cheese. Our issue in America is that we have the wrong cows. When you take A1 cow milk away, and stimulate our own endorphin production instead of via the toxic opiate BCM 7, some amazing health benefits ensue.

So what are we all to do with this knowledge? Does this mean no one should drink raw cow’s milk in the U.S.? One saving grace, as expressed in Devil in the Milk, is that the absorption of BCM 7 is much lower in people with a healthy GI tract. This also parallels the ideas of the GAPS theory which expounds upon this topic. BCM 7 is also not found in goat’s or sheep’s milk, so these types of milk might be better tolerated by those with a compromised digestive system.

A final point: we now have one more thing to put on our activism to-do list. Dr. Woodford explains that it is fairly straightforward to switch a herd to become an all A2 herd. No genetic engineering is needed, no fancy tests, just one simple test of the beta-casein and it can be done via breeding with A2 sires and selective culling of A1 individuals. Hopefully, when this practice becomes widespread we will end up with a truly safe and healthy milk supply. Then maybe I should just change my name.

SOURCE: http://www.westonaprice.org/book-reviews/devil-in-the-milk-by-keith-woodford/

[Taka]

Post by Taka
Devil in the Milk Illness, Health, and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk

testing yo susceptible:

http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/glutencasein-peptides-test

[Taka]

Journal of Translational Medicine
December 2015, 13:385

Milk: an epigenetic amplifier of FTO-mediated transcription? Implications for Western diseases

Bodo C. Melnik

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms within intron 1 of the FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated) gene are associated with enhanced FTO expression, increased body weight, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase FTO plays a pivotal regulatory role for postnatal growth and energy expenditure. The purpose of this review is to provide translational evidence that links milk signaling with FTO-activated transcription of the milk recipient. FTO-dependent demethylation of m6A regulates mRNA splicing required for adipogenesis, increases the stability of mRNAs, and affects microRNA (miRNA) expression and miRNA biosynthesis. FTO senses branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and activates the nutrient sensitive kinase mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), which plays a key role in translation. Milk provides abundant BCAAs and glutamine, critical components increasing FTO expression. CpG hypomethylation in the first intron of FTO has recently been associated with T2DM. CpG methylation is generally associated with gene silencing. In contrast, CpG demethylation generally increases transcription. DNA de novo methylation of CpG sites is facilitated by DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 3A and 3B, whereas DNA maintenance methylation is controlled by DNMT1. MiRNA-29s target all DNMTs and thus reduce DNA CpG methylation. Cow´s milk provides substantial amounts of exosomal miRNA-29s that reach the systemic circulation and target mRNAs of the milk recipient. Via DNMT suppression, milk exosomal miRNA-29s may reduce the magnitude of FTO methylation, thereby epigenetically increasing FTO expression in the milk consumer. High lactation performance with increased milk yield has recently been associated with excessive miRNA-29 expression of dairy cow mammary epithelial cells (DCMECs). Notably, the galactopoietic hormone prolactin upregulates the transcription factor STAT3, which induces miRNA-29 expression. In a retrovirus-like manner milk exosomes may transfer DCMEC-derived miRNA-29s and bovine FTO mRNA to the milk consumer amplifying FTO expression. There is compelling evidence that obesity, T2DM, prostate and breast cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases are all associated with increased FTO expression. Maximization of lactation performance by veterinary medicine with enhanced miRNA-29s and FTO expression associated with increased exosomal miRNA-29 and FTO mRNA transfer to the milk consumer may represent key epigenetic mechanisms promoting FTO/mTORC1-mediated diseases of civilization.

MORE: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-015-0746-z

[Taka]

GETTING LOST WITH DRUGS

Heroin users "get lost" after injecting chemically processed
poppy juice into their veins. Homer reported that Ulysses
"got lost" during his odyssey after being lured into a
gentle sleep caused by opiates.

When Dorothy laid down in a poppy field in the Wizard of Oz,
she fell into a very deep sleep. She followed a yellow brick
road into a sleepy world of marmalade skies, cellophane
flowers and marshmallow pies.

Opiates are narcotics, and they produce intense feelings of
pleasure followed by a calm drowsy feeling. Opiates are
addictive.

Smokers of opiated hashish gently lose their way into
narcotically-induced dreamlike states (no, not Colorodo or
Vermont).

The most wholesome cow's milk from organically raised
bovines naturally contains a powerful opiate in the morphine
family called casomorphin. Concentrated milk products
(cheese, ice cream, and milk chocolate) contain concentrated
quantities of these addictive narcotics.

Now, you too can "get lost" by consuming America's most
delicious legal opiate, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Hershey Foods is about to launch a new advertising campaign
giving their best-selling bite-sized snack a new slogan:

"Get Lost in a Reese's"

Hersehy's will spend $10 million to promote their chocolate
high to children. Who is their target group? Hershey's
explains:

"Young males are among the biggest eaters of candy, and
Reese's is no exception."

One ad portrays a growling dog that bites a young man in the
leg. The boy feels no pain because he is munching on a
Reese's. A second ad shows a kid whose pants get caught in
an escalator, oblivious to the fact that he is about to be
stripped to his underwear.

What causes the drug-induced chocolate "high?"

Could it be morphine, an opiate? Do chocolate manufacturers
know that their product contains drugs?

Let's examine milk chocolate. The three major ingredients of
milk chocolate are, in order of abundance, sugar, milk, and
chocolate.

Florida researcher, Robert Cade, M.D., has identified a milk
protein, casomorphin, as the probable cause of attention
deficit disorder. Dr. Cade found Beta-casomorphin-7 in high
concentrations in the blood and urine of patients with
either schizophrenia or autism.

Eighty percent of cow's milk protein is casein. After eating
milk chocolate, casein breaks down in the stomach to produce
a peptide opiate, casomorphine.

Visit http://www.notmilk.com/aa.html and find the dairy connection:

"Exorphins appear to produce...lack of awareness of events,
anti-social behavior, and decreased verbal skills. Many of
these behaviors are similar to those noted on chronic heroin
addiction. Studies by Karl Riechelt indicate a very strong
association between certain autistic behaviors and ingestion
of dairy..."

Government statistics suggest that America is home to 64
million nicotine addicts (cigarette smokers), 18 million
alcoholics, 12 million marijuana smokers, and 2.3 million
opiate and cocaine users. Opiates in chocolate have not yet
made their top ten drug list, but make no mistake about it,
folks. Drugs work, and milk is physiologically addictive.
Nature's way is to include chemical messengers that make
nursing pleasurable. That same mechanism is what also makes
weaning so difficult. Most American adults have never been
weaned from the addictive effects of milk.

Get lost with milk chocolate? Hersehy's relies upon addicted
children to generate increased candy sales. So, "Get lost"
with milk chocolate and satisfy a physiological addiction to
casomorphin. Are you a chocolate junkie? Get Lost with
Reeses!

SOURCE: http://www.notmilk.com/forum/942.html

[Taka]

Addiction to Cheese is Real Thanks to Casomorphins

If you talk to anyone who has recently switched, or is considering a switch, to a plant-based diet, more often than not, they claim that cheese is their weakness. So why is this? After all, doesn’t cheese smell like dirty socks?

The answer is casomorphins—protein fragments, derived from the digestion of the milk protein, Casein. The distinguishing characteristic of casomorphins is that they have an opioid effect. Yup. Opioids are among the world’s oldest known drugs. Dependence can develop with ongoing administration, leading to withdrawal syndromes with abrupt discontinuation. Opioids are well known for their ability to produce a feeling of euphoria, motivating some to recreationally use opioids. But if it’s already a huge part of our diets in America, so who will actually have to experience the uncomfy withdrawl? You guessed it. Those who try to kick dairy to the curb.

Casein is a hot topic for vegans and plant-based eaters because it can be found deceptively listed in the ingredients of certain dairy-free and vegan cheeses. You may be familiar with it in that regard, but the addicting qualities of Casein are somewhat unknown. As Casein breaks down in the stomach producing the peptide, casomorphin (an opioid), it acts as a histamine releaser [1], which is also why so many people are allergic to dairy products; An estimated 70% of the population worldwide!

Ok, back to the opioid effect. It takes 10lbs of milk to make 1 lb of cheese. As milk is turned into cheese, most of its water is removed leaving behind concentrated casein and fat. So, concentrated dairy products, like cheese, have especially high levels of opiates, even morphine.

At this point you might be wondering what the evolutionary basis might be for these opiates to be in a mammal’s milk. Dr. Neal Barnard, founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), explains that, “It appears that the opiates from mother’s milk produce a calming effect on the infant and, in fact, may be responsible for a good measure of the mother-infant bond. No, it’s not all lullabies and cooing. Psychological bonds always have a physical underpinning. Like it or not, mother’s milk has a drug-like effect on the baby’s brain that ensures that the baby will bond with Mom and continue to nurse and get the nutrients all babies need. Like heroin or codeine, casomorphins slow intestinal movements and have a decided antidiarrheal effect. The opiate effect may be why adults often find that cheese can be constipating, just as opiate painkillers are.”

The European Food Safety Agency, in response to a number of studies and public health concern, did a scientific literature review in 2009 to assess the potential health impact of casomorphins and similar biologically active peptides [2]. Much of the review centers addressing the overarching question (although several avenues were explored in detail): Do casomorphins have potentially deleterious health effects? The concern of course stemming from the addictive capacity of opioid drugs.

The jury on that specific question is still out and a lot of the research is conflicting. There is discussion as to whether or not enough of the casomorphins cross the intestinal wall and get into the blood stream and ultimately cross the blood-brain barrier, etc. It discusses the data implicating this as a factor in Autism, etc.

While, I believe this is great information and I applaud the European Food Safety Agency for looking into it (note: our government has not), I think we are asking the wrong question!

I mean does it really matter “how addicting” it is and in what amounts does are able to get into the bloodstream, etc?

Common sense alone tells us that: We know with opioid drugs, different people react differently to them and different amounts affect people differently. I suspect it isn’t too much of a stretch to conclude that this is also the case for substances that produce an opioid effect. Further, it is generally accepted that binging on drugs on a daily basis is bad for us even in sufficiently small quantities, thus, again consuming highly concentrated forms of analogous substances probably isn’t the best plan either.

The question isn’t whether or not the casomorphins themselves have potentially deleterious health effects, the question is do dairy products on the whole have potentially deleterious health effects!

And that answer is a resounding YES.

The casomorphins only explain why we like cheese so much and why it is so hard to give it up. It’s the sugar (lactose), animal protein and the saturated fat content (which triggers IGF-1 in the body, and is the reason it is now being strongly linked to several cancers) that make it so bad for you.

SOURCE: http://yumuniverse.com/addiction-to-cheese-is-real-thanks-to-casomorphins/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casomorphin

[Taka]

Addicts Who Can’t Find Painkillers Turn to Anti-Diarrhea Drugs

They call it the poor man’s methadone.

The epidemic of opioid addiction sweeping the country has led to another form of drug abuse that few experts saw coming: Addicts who cannot lay hands on painkillers are instead turning to Imodium and other anti-diarrhea medications.

The active ingredient, loperamide, offers a cheap high if it is consumed in extraordinary amounts. But in addition to being uncomfortably constipating, it can be toxic, even deadly, to the heart.

A report published online in Annals of Emergency Medicine recently described two deaths in New York after loperamide abuse. And overdoses have been linked to deaths or life-threatening irregular heartbeats in at least a dozen other cases in five states in the last 18 months.

Most physicians just recently realized loperamide could be abused, and few look for it. There is little if any national data on the problem, but many toxicologists and emergency department doctors suspect that it is more widespread than scattered reports suggest.

As efforts to limit prescription opioids intensify, a handful of experts are concerned that more addicts might turn to loperamide — much as an alcoholic might resort to mouthwash when the Jim Beam runs dry.

“We’ve seen patients who have been on loperamide for months at a time,” said William Eggleston, the lead author of the recent report and a clinical toxicologist at SUNY Upstate Medical Center.

He added, “A subset of patients take it to get high, and other patients use it as a bridge” — meaning that if they cannot obtain heroin or morphine, they take loperamide to ease withdrawal symptoms like muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea.
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Sarah Peddicord, a spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration, said, “The F.D.A. is aware of recent reports of adverse events related to the intentional misuse and/or abuse of the anti-diarrhea product loperamide to treat symptoms of opioid withdrawal or produce euphoric effects.”

After a review, she said, the agency “will take appropriate steps as soon as possible.”

The recommended dose of loperamide is safe. The standard daily dose of Imodium A-D is no more than four caplets, or eight milligrams. But lobe abusers — as they sometimes call themselves — have reported ingesting 100 two-milligram tablets daily for weeks.

In a case reported by Dr. Eggleston and his colleagues, a 24-year-old man experiencing opiate withdrawal took so much loperamide that he died. Toxicology analysis found more than 25 times the regular dose in his blood.

In another case, a 39-year-old man collapsed at home and was pronounced dead at a hospital. His family said he had once managed his opioid addiction with prescription buprenorphine, but had taken to medicating with anti-diarrhea drugs.

Anti-diarrhea medications are cheap, legal and can be bought easily in large quantities without raising suspicion. Costco sells 400 loperamide caplets for just $7.59.

Yet loperamide used to be a prescription drug and a controlled substance, in the same class as cocaine or methadone. The F.D.A. approved it in 1976, and it became an over-the-counter drug in 1988.

Typically, loperamide acts on opioid receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and does not enter the central nervous system. At recommended doses, there is no high, and low potential for abuse. But large doses can produce a high, doctors say.

Some toxicologists argue that the sales of loperamide should be limited, much as the nonprescription drug pseudoephedrine was restricted a decade ago to help prevent the manufacturing of crystal meth.

“It’s time for someone to step in and regulate the purchasing of massive quantities,” said Dr. Chuck O’Connell, an emergency medicine physician and toxicologist at the University of California, San Diego, who said he had seen two loperamide overdoses.

“The average person doesn’t need 400 tablets of loperamide weekly,” he said. “I’ve used a handful in my whole life.”

In the journal HeartRhythm Case Reports, he described a 28-year-old woman who said she had taken 400 to 600 milligrams of loperamide daily for months. An electrocardiogram showed dangerously irregular heartbeats and abnormal electrical conduction through her heart.

After repeated blackouts, she sought medical attention at a hospital. While there, unknown to doctors, she was still taking 100 tablets of loperamide a day from a private stockpile.

After she transferred to U.C.S.D. and confessed her habit, Dr. O’Connell asked her to stop. In a few days, an electrocardiogram showed her heart normalizing, and the fainting subsided.

“If you take enough, it rushes the gate, and some penetrates the blood-brain barrier,” Dr. O’Connell said. “Once it crosses the barrier, it can act on the central nervous system and you get euphoric effects.”

Some users complain the high does not compare to that produced by opioids. “You can definitely get high from it, and even kill yourself with it,” a commenter wrote in 2013 on Bluelight, a website where people discuss drug use.

The high was “not worth the health risks, whatever they are,” the commenter wrote.

Another commenter cataloged loperamide’s downsides — the need to continually take stool softeners, for one — but wrote that the medication took away the misery of opioid withdrawal: “Don’t wish to be dead … so that’s a plus.”

Loperamide abuse may go undetected in emergency departments, experts warn, because routine drug screens cannot detect it.

“The urine toxicology we do in our hospital doesn’t look for loperamide, so it’s possible we missed cases,” said Amitava Dasgupta, a toxicologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Some loperamide abusers arrive at hospitals lethargic or not breathing, as if they had overdosed on heroin. Naloxone, an anti-opioid drug, may be given.

“When a drug screen comes back negative, emergency room staff may assume the test was faulty, or by that time, if the patient is responsive, they may write it off as nothing,” said Dr. Jennifer Dierksen, a pathologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

In one case at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, opioid abuse was suspected after a 19-year-old Texan was found dead at home with a distended bladder full of urine. But a drug screen was clean. So Jeffrey Walterscheid, then a toxicologist at the institute, used a test known as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to pinpoint loperamide as the culprit.

All cases of cardiac problems associated with the misuse or abuse of loperamide should be reported to the F.D.A.’s Medwatch online registry. But not all physicians do so.

“The more people sounding the alarm, the more likely the F.D.A. will take the problem seriously and take action,” Dr. Eggleston said. “A first step would be legislation or regulation that places the items behind the counter.”

Johnson & Johnson, Imodium’s manufacturer, did not respond to requests for comment.
Correction: May 13, 2016

An article on Wednesday about opioid addicts who turn to Imodium and other anti-diarrhea medications to get high misstated some details about the death of a 19-year-old in Texas that involved loperamide, the active ingredient in the medications. The case was investigated by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, not the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. And it was Jeffrey Walterscheid, not Amitava Dasgupta, who used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to pinpoint loperamide as the culprit.

SOURCE: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/11/health/imodium-opioid-addiction.html

[Taka]

A Peptide Found in Schizophrenia and Autism Causes Behavioral Changes in Rats

In a previous study we showed that β-casomorphin-7 (β-CM7) is taken up by brain regions relevant to schizophrenia and autism. The present experiment was designed to find whether β-CM7 has any behavioral or analgesic effects in rats. About 65 seconds after treatment with different doses of β-CM7, rats became restless and ran violently, with teeth chattering and with rapid respiration. Seven minutes later, the rats became inactive with less walking, distancing themselves from the other rat in the same cage, and sitting in, or putting their head against, the corner of the cage. The sound response was reduced and social interaction was absent. One hour later, the rats showed hyperdefensiveness. The above behavioral effects of β-CM7 did not occur when rats were pretreated with naloxone (2 mg/kg, IP). The rats receiving saline did not show any behavioral changes throughout the 2 hour period of observation. β-CM7 also demonstrated analgesic effects, which could be blocked by naloxone. The results suggest that β-CM7 may play a role in behavioral disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

SOURCE: http://aut.sagepub.com/content/3/1/85.abstract

MORE: http://nutritionfacts.org/video/cows-milk-casomorphin-and-autism/

[Taka]

Caseomorphins and Gluteomorphins – The Food Opiods

These morphine-like substances, casomorphin and gluteomorphin, which we derive from dairy and wheat respectively, are critical to our understanding of the power of these two foods in our health and well-being.

Caseomorphins are formed during our attempt to digest casein, the protein that makes up 80-90% of the protein content of cow’s milk (versus 0-2% of goat’s milk). It is this same protein that can cause damage to the lower intestinal lining (duodenum) and a malabsorption syndrome similar to that seen in celiac disease, or gluten intolerance. Borden uses casein to make Elmer’s Glue.

The gluteomorphins are derived from gliadin, one of the main proteins found in gluten grains (wheat, barley, and rye). Gluten is also used to make industrial adhesives, as are soy and corn. All four of these foods are capable of damaging the lining of the intestinal tract and leading to the malabsorption of calcium, iron, B complex, C, and trace minerals (e.g. zinc, magnesium, lithium, boron, and more). This malabsorption or leaky gut syndrome contributes greatly to the ill health of the brain (and immune system), setting the stage for the action of these food-derived opiods.

Both caseomorphins and gluteomorphins are morphine-like opiods that have been likened to drugs like LSD. They can be very sedating and addictive and help to explain why 75% of the calories in the standard American diet (S.A.D.) come from wheat and dairy alone. Food addiction is a very real thing and these opiods play a huge role.

As many of you know and have expressed, autistic children are very addicted to wheat and dairy, which is consistent with the tenet that we become addicted to what will make us ill (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol and food ). There are no healthy addictions and food is no exception. If an individual feels that they cannot give up cheese or bread, then they are very likely to be having a problem with one of these foods. I talk with people like this all of the time and can use that dependency to help them see that those very foods are a major contributor to their IBS, thyroid dysfunction, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, arthritis, depression, chronic fatigue or other typical signs associated with food intolerance. And withdrawal from these foods can lead to classic drug-withdrawal symptoms.

These sedating compounds are also the single biggest contributing factor to post-meal drowsiness. My father proved this most accurately as he used to become extremely sleepy after meals. We thought he must have been a narcoleptic. He would literally pass out once he sat down, morning, lunch or night time. He no longer exhibits this annoying and even dangerous symptom now that he is gluten-free. In fact, it has been stated that more people die from falling asleep at the wheel while driving than from alcohol-related accidents. What could be doing this? What could keep us from doing the most important thing (staying awake) while driving down the Interstate at 65-80 mph? Now we know. Throw alcohol into the mix and we have a tragic situation just waiting to happen.

We need to become very familiar with these two terms. Sadly, even most doctors have no idea what these substances are and how much they can affect a person. That is amazing to me. And yet they play a vital role in the lives of the multitudes, contributing to autistic symptoms, food addiction, clinical depression, chronic fatigue, caffeine addiction, highway deaths, and more.

SOURCE: https://drjosephalaimo.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/caseomorphins-and-gluteomorphins-%E2%80%93-the-food-opiods/

[Taka]

Post by Taka
Caseomorphins and Gluteomorphins – The Food Opiods
These morphine-like substances, casomorphin and gluteomorphin, which we derive from dairy and wheat respectively, are critical to our understanding of the power of these two foods in our health and well-being.
Caseomorphins are formed during our attempt to digest casein, the protein that makes up 80-90% of the protein content of cow’s milk (versus 0-2% of goat’s milk). It is this same protein that can cause damage to the lower intestinal lining (duodenum) and a malabsorption syndrome similar to that seen in celiac disease, or gluten intolerance. Borden uses casein to make Elmer’s Glue.
The gluteomorphins are derived from gliadin, one of the main proteins found in gluten grains (wheat, barley, and rye). Gluten is also used to make industrial adhesives, as are soy and corn. All four of these foods are capable of damaging the lining of the intestinal tract and leading to the malabsorption of calcium, iron, B complex, C, and trace minerals (e.g. zinc, magnesium, lithium, boron, and more). This malabsorption or leaky gut syndrome contributes greatly to the ill health of the brain (and immune system), setting the stage for the action of these food-derived opiods.
Both caseomorphins and gluteomorphins are morphine-like opiods that have been likened to drugs like LSD. They can be very sedating and addictive and help to explain why 75% of the calories in the standard American diet (S.A.D.) come from wheat and dairy alone. Food addiction is a very real thing and these opiods play a huge role.
As many of you know and have expressed, autistic children are very addicted to wheat and dairy, which is consistent with the tenet that we become addicted to what will make us ill (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol and food ). There are no healthy addictions and food is no exception. If an individual feels that they cannot give up cheese or bread, then they are very likely to be having a problem with one of these foods. I talk with people like this all of the time and can use that dependency to help them see that those very foods are a major contributor to their IBS, thyroid dysfunction, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, arthritis, depression, chronic fatigue or other typical signs associated with food intolerance. And withdrawal from these foods can lead to classic drug-withdrawal symptoms.
These sedating compounds are also the single biggest contributing factor to post-meal drowsiness. My father proved this most accurately as he used to become extremely sleepy after meals. We thought he must have been a narcoleptic. He would literally pass out once he sat down, morning, lunch or night time. He no longer exhibits this annoying and even dangerous symptom now that he is gluten-free. In fact, it has been stated that more people die from falling asleep at the wheel while driving than from alcohol-related accidents. What could be doing this? What could keep us from doing the most important thing (staying awake) while driving down the Interstate at 65-80 mph? Now we know. Throw alcohol into the mix and we have a tragic situation just waiting to happen.
We need to become very familiar with these two terms. Sadly, even most doctors have no idea what these substances are and how much they can affect a person. That is amazing to me. And yet they play a vital role in the lives of the multitudes, contributing to autistic symptoms, food addiction, clinical depression, chronic fatigue, caffeine addiction, highway deaths, and more.
SOURCE: https://drjosephalaimo.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/caseomorphins-and-gluteomorphins-%E2%80%93-the-food-opiods/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliadorphin

[Taka]

Post by Taka

Post by Taka
Caseomorphins and Gluteomorphins – The Food Opiods
These morphine-like substances, casomorphin and gluteomorphin, which we derive from dairy and wheat respectively, are critical to our understanding of the power of these two foods in our health and well-being.
Caseomorphins are formed during our attempt to digest casein, the protein that makes up 80-90% of the protein content of cow’s milk (versus 0-2% of goat’s milk). It is this same protein that can cause damage to the lower intestinal lining (duodenum) and a malabsorption syndrome similar to that seen in celiac disease, or gluten intolerance. Borden uses casein to make Elmer’s Glue.
The gluteomorphins are derived from gliadin, one of the main proteins found in gluten grains (wheat, barley, and rye). Gluten is also used to make industrial adhesives, as are soy and corn. All four of these foods are capable of damaging the lining of the intestinal tract and leading to the malabsorption of calcium, iron, B complex, C, and trace minerals (e.g. zinc, magnesium, lithium, boron, and more). This malabsorption or leaky gut syndrome contributes greatly to the ill health of the brain (and immune system), setting the stage for the action of these food-derived opiods.
Both caseomorphins and gluteomorphins are morphine-like opiods that have been likened to drugs like LSD. They can be very sedating and addictive and help to explain why 75% of the calories in the standard American diet (S.A.D.) come from wheat and dairy alone. Food addiction is a very real thing and these opiods play a huge role.
As many of you know and have expressed, autistic children are very addicted to wheat and dairy, which is consistent with the tenet that we become addicted to what will make us ill (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol and food ). There are no healthy addictions and food is no exception. If an individual feels that they cannot give up cheese or bread, then they are very likely to be having a problem with one of these foods. I talk with people like this all of the time and can use that dependency to help them see that those very foods are a major contributor to their IBS, thyroid dysfunction, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, arthritis, depression, chronic fatigue or other typical signs associated with food intolerance. And withdrawal from these foods can lead to classic drug-withdrawal symptoms.
These sedating compounds are also the single biggest contributing factor to post-meal drowsiness. My father proved this most accurately as he used to become extremely sleepy after meals. We thought he must have been a narcoleptic. He would literally pass out once he sat down, morning, lunch or night time. He no longer exhibits this annoying and even dangerous symptom now that he is gluten-free. In fact, it has been stated that more people die from falling asleep at the wheel while driving than from alcohol-related accidents. What could be doing this? What could keep us from doing the most important thing (staying awake) while driving down the Interstate at 65-80 mph? Now we know. Throw alcohol into the mix and we have a tragic situation just waiting to happen.
We need to become very familiar with these two terms. Sadly, even most doctors have no idea what these substances are and how much they can affect a person. That is amazing to me. And yet they play a vital role in the lives of the multitudes, contributing to autistic symptoms, food addiction, clinical depression, chronic fatigue, caffeine addiction, highway deaths, and more.
SOURCE: https://drjosephalaimo.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/caseomorphins-and-gluteomorphins-%E2%80%93-the-food-opiods/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliadorphin

http://drweyrich.weyrich.com/labs/gluten_casein.html

[Taka]

Migraine Sufferers May Endure More Headaches if Opiate or Barbiturate Painkillers Used

Migraine sufferers may unknowingly be making their painful headaches worse if they use drugs like OxyContin and Percocet, popular opiate painkillers that carry a high potential for abuse and addiction. Barbiturate painkillers are also believed to make headaches worse, including causing more frequent migraines, says a study in which researchers reviewed data from more than 8,000 people related to migraines and headaches.

The findings are especially important as it is believed more than 35 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraines, and many may be prescribed medications containing codeine or oxycodone – which may actually make the headaches occur more frequently.

The study results, published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, were reported by researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During the study in 2005, participants were asked to respond to questions about the pain medications they were using and their headaches, especially people who had less than 15 migraines monthly, also called episodic migraines. Results from this group of participants were compared with their headache reports for one year later, and data was also compared in terms of types of pain medications used.

Of the 8,219 participants who had episodic migraines in the beginning of the study, about 2.5 percent had chronic migraines after one year (more than 15 per month). Researchers said people who used barbiturate or opiate-based painkillers had a likelihood of developing chronic migraines that was twice that of people who only used medications like acetaminophen. Popular migraine pain medications like Zomig or Imitrex, medically known as triptans, did not show a connection between higher rates of migraines.

While study participants self-reported on their monthly use of pain medications and number of headaches, researchers still believe the findings can send a warning to doctors: either stop prescribing narcotic-based painkillers and barbiturates, or very carefully talk to patients about the potential for worsening headaches.

The condition is sometimes referred to as medication overuse headache, or MOH, and can be complicated to treat because when the patient reduces their usage of a certain pain medication their symptoms may at first become worse before improvement is noted.

Migraines can cause serious life disruptions and workplace costs, with an estimated expense well over ten million dollars each year to employers. Migraine sufferers are also more likely to suffer from depression, with up to a four times higher risk for serious depression, says a 2007 study. Women with migraines are also believed to have an especially higher chance of experiencing a stroke or cardiovascular disease.

Additional dangers of migraines lie in their frequent misdiagnosis, including being incorrectly identified as sinus problems – which can prompt migraine sufferers to overuse nasal sprays, potentially becoming addicted to them while the headaches remain untreated.

In addition to sending out a warning to physicians, researchers suggest that patients who suffer from migraines take note of the frequency of their headaches and medications used, and bring any questions and concerns promptly to their doctor.

SOURCE: https://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/prescription-drug-addiction/painkillers-migraines-backlash/

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Anybody home? Milk can give yo headache.... Taka