Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

6

1

I quote;

There are two main forms of the important cow's milk protein beta-casein found in the cow's milk that you drink. These two forms are known as A1 and A2 beta-casein.

The A2 form of beta-casein has been identified by scientific research to be the original form of beta-casein that would have been produced by cows thousands of years ago.

At some point in history, owing to natural genetic mutation, the A1 form appeared in dairy cattle and was spread throughout dairy herds across Europe, becoming the common form of beta-casein in many breeds of cows.

Traditional cattle breeds such as the zebu, the native Asian cattle and closely related animals such as the water buffalo and yak all still only produce the A2 type of beta-casein.

Some dairy cows still only produce the A2 type of beta-casein and these can be identified and milked to produce a2 Milk™.

by Professor Keith Woodford. 2007. Craig Potton Publishing (Christchurch) "Devil in the Milk" http://www.a2milk.com.au/about-a2-milk.php

Is there a potential benefit in regards to the consumption of A2 beta casein as opposed to A1 or is this just a marketing campaign? Im looking to add no more than a 250ml serving purely post strength workout 2-3 times a week as a performance/recovery aid.

Thank

flag	asked Dec 17 2011 at 14:12 Aussiebloke 983●2●10

	I'd like to know the answer, too. Devil in the Milk doesn't strike me as super credible, and I don't know if I have the chops to read the Nature paper super critically. Tossed-off answers like the one from The Quilt don't help, unfortunately. Shrug. Anyway, it just so happens that we get raw milk from Jersey cows most of the time, so I guess we are sitting pretty.. Who knows! – Ed Dec 17 2011 at 19:08
	Ed, Jersey milk protein is roughly about 40% A2 so it is not really much different than regular milk. – Matt Dec 24 2011 at 2:35

cliff · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-17 14:40:00Z UTC

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

"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."

Its BS imo

julianne · Answer 2 · 2011-12-17 21:46:41Z UTC

Anecdotal I know - but my father gets a lot of mucous production with milk. When he switched to A2 milk it went completely.

This article explains it http://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-devil-in-the-milk-dr-thomas-cowan-on-how-a2-milk-is-the-answer-to-the-mystery-of-why-even-raw-milk-sometimes-does-not-seem-to-be-enough-of-an-improvement-over-store-bought/

"As you may or may not know, all proteins are long chains of amino acids that have many “branches” coming off different parts of the main chain. Beta casein is a 229 chain of amino acids with a proline at number 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 (e.g. 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, and include breeds like Holstein.

The side chain that comes off this amino acid is called BCM 7. BCM 7 is a small protein (called a peptide) that is a very powerful opiate and has some undesirable effects on animals and humans. What’s important here is 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.

This opiate BCM 7 has been shown in the research outlined in the book to 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 in 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 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 that BCM 7 selectively binds to the epithelial cells in the mucus membranes (i.e. the nose) and stimulates mucus secretion."

The Quilt · Answer 3 · 2011-12-17 14:25:20Z UTC

3

it's legit. Read the Devil in Milk.

answered Dec 17 2011 at 14:25

The Quilt
27.4k●1●13●82

Good morning Jack! Don't you ever sleep in? – shah78 Dec 17 2011 at 14:29

nope I rise to see the sunrise every morning I am breathing. – The Quilt Dec 17 2011 at 14:44

a down vote ? For brown cows, or for Dr. Quilt? Either way , this must be a bad joke? – shah78 Dec 17 2011 at 14:52

2

It wasn't me this time. However, considering this answer simply repeats something already in the question, it's not that surprising to me, given that a downvote is supposed to indicate "not helpful". – Ambimorph Dec 17 2011 at 15:15

good explaination for the downvote. @ Quilt, lazy, lazy answer! but why was my answer downvoted?Because I find brown cows cute? – shah78 Dec 17 2011 at 15:22

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Paige · Answer 4 · 2013-02-27 11:44:53Z UTC

1

Some Holstiens are A2. Quite a few of them, in fact. I do have a friend who is "allergic to milk", but can drink A2 just fine.

answered Feb 27 at 11:44

Paige
11●1

score 0 · Answer 5 · 2011-12-17 14:36:04Z UTC

There is no marketing advantage to a2 production as far a I can tell. Aren't a2 cows generally smaller and/or less "CASH COWS" in a sense of smaller producers? That's why Holstiens are the cow of choice in Big Milk production.... Side note, those little brown cows are real cute and friendly and smart. The reason given is that they drink a2 milk as calves! Holstiens obvouly drink a1 milk and suffer the same fate as humans drinking a1 milk. A dumbing down due to opiate receptor stimulation in the brain.ie Holstiens spend there formative years, stoned out of there minds! Fun theory, of course it could be all bullshit. So the answer to your question is. Producers of a2 milk are producing quality at the expense of quantity. There are different size brown cows, but they are dwarfed by the big black ones.

AndyM · Answer 6 · 2011-12-17 18:25:17Z UTC

If it helps I'm pretty sure there's a quite a few things which are affecting your performance/recovery more than the difference between A2 and A1 milk would. I don't really know why you'd want to consume casein specifically post workout anyway.

A2 or A1 beta casein; legitimate or marketing ploy?

6 Answers