Casein

Hello Mr. Jelínek,

I would like to ask about casein and its potential to trigger autoimmune disorders. I have an autoimmune thyroid disorder; do you think that, in my case, since I already have such a disorder, it would be best to completely eliminate casein?

Thank you for your response. Have a nice day.

Autoimmune disorders are a complex issue in practice, where it is essential to find the cause (trigger) when attempting to address them. The immune system can "go haywire" for a variety of reasons, and in recent years there has been increasing discussion about the leaky gut syndrome. In this condition, undigested (unsplit) protein molecules (very often including casein) enter the bloodstream and, in addition to common allergic reactions, can also contribute to the development of autoimmune disorders, including thyroid gland issues (Hashimoto's thyroiditis). It certainly does no harm to avoid sources of casein or replace them with alternatives (always monitor protein intake in the diet, which should not drop below 10-15% of total energy intake).

There are also studies suggesting a relationship between lactose's ability to reduce the absorption of medications used for thyroid function disorders, where removing dairy products from the diet results in much better responses of the body to the administered medication.

Hello,
I would like to ask whether the mentioned negative effects of casein from cow's milk (A1) also apply to casein A2, for example from buffalo milk. I stopped consuming dairy products due to an acne problem, and I am interested in whether it makes sense to try other types of A2 milk or if it is better not to reintroduce dairy products into my diet.
Thank you.

This issue related to the final decision is still not unanimously resolved in the scientific sphere, with arguments citing the insufficient number of studies conducted. On the other hand, in some countries (New Zealand, Australia, China...), the A2 milk variant is beginning to be preferred directly in the commercial network precisely because of the belief that its consumption does not contribute to the emergence of a number of relatively serious health problems.

Simply explained, the situation is as follows:
Casein is divided into 4 basic fractions, one of which is beta-casein. It can be divided into 12 types, with A1 and A2 being the most important. Research indicates that the A1 variant was originally not present in cow's milk, which arose from a natural mutation about 8,000 years ago. The fundamental difference between the A1 and A2 variants lies in the amino acid composition - at a certain position in the amino acid chain, A1 has proline, while A2 has histidine, causing the two variants to be digested differently (the type and order of individual amino acids in the protein chain account for the individual properties of proteins). It has been discovered that in the A1 variant, the opiate beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM7) is produced through digestion, which is attributed with negative health effects (commonly in chronic issues) - with observed impacts on neurological problems (including autism), digestive and gastrointestinal complications (including a higher incidence of diarrhea, which, by influencing gut microbiota function, can also affect acne formation, which you mentioned), the development of myelomas, and certain cardiovascular issues.

However, because there are currently not enough serious conclusions, it is not possible to claim that most problems are caused by the consumption of A1 variants, and this is related to your issue. Nevertheless, if you are willing to experiment and can source the A2 variant of beta-casein (goat, sheep, buffalo, camel, donkey, and maternal milk, or milk from cattle breeds originating from Asia or Africa), you should certainly explore this direction. Generally, you will still have the option to avoid any animal products altogether if desired.

Hello,

Is the genus Lactococcus present in the Tibetan mushroom? And is it true that during fermentation, casein is broken down by the aforementioned genus?

Thank you.

This genus of bacteria is a component of Tibetan mushroom. It primarily breaks down sugars and is involved in the fermentation of fats and proteins to a significantly lesser extent.