The SCD™ Knowledge Base

Casein Sensitivity

t writes:
Casein is only an issue if someone is *sensitive* to it. I use the word
sensitive, because very few people are truly allergic to it (If you've
been properly allergy tested and have tested positive for casein allergy,
then you should not use milk and should carry an Epipen with you as well
as wearing a Medicalert bracelet.) If someone has leaky gut, and
improperly digested casein is getting into their system, then they are
going to react because inappropriate proteins are what the immune system
is designed to attack. The other problem is that the peptides that result
from incompletely broken down casein behave like opioids and they will
have a similar CNS effects.. hence, brain fog, lethargy, etc.
BUT... there are lots of different kinds of casein, and the casein that's
found in cow milk is the one that people generally react to.
This is REALLY IMPORTANT to remember, since dairy can be in important
source of calories and there's no point removing something from your diet
that you don't have to... so, I'm going to say it again....
... there are lots of different kinds of casein, and the casein that's
found in cow milk is the one that people generally react to.
So... I did a very simple Google search using the words, "casein cow vs.
goat milk" and here's what I got....

From: http://www.dgc.co.nz/about.html
"Apha-s1 is the major casein protein present in cow milk and has been
identified as one of the major cow milk allergens. By contrast the major
casein in goat milk is ß-casein, and alpha-s2 casein is the main alpha
casein present."

From: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032400.asp
"Unlike cow's milk, goat's milk does not contain agglutinin. As a result,
the fat globules in goat's milk do not cluster together, making them
easier to digest. Like cow's milk, goat's milk is low in essential fatty
acids, because goats also have EFA-destroying bacteria in their ruminant
stomachs. Yet, goat milk is reported to contain more of the essential
fatty acids linoleic and arachnodonic acids, in addition to a higher
proportion of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. These are easier
for intestinal enzymes to digest. Different protein. Goat milk protein
forms a softer curd (the term given to the protein clumps that are formed
by the action of your stomach acid on the protein), which makes the
protein more easily and rapidly digestible. Theoretically, this more rapid
transit through the stomach could be an advantage to infants and children
who regurgitate cow's milk easily. Goat's milk may also have advantages
when it comes to allergies. Goat's milk contains only trace amounts of an
allergenic casein protein, alpha-S1, found in cow's milk. Goat's milk
casein is more similar to human milk, yet cow's milk and goat's milk
contain similar levels of the other allergenic protein, beta
lactoglobulin. Scientific studies have not found a decreased incidence of
allergy with goat's milk, but here is another situation where mothers'
observations and scientific studies are at odds with one another. Some
mothers are certain that their child tolerates goat's milk better than
cow's milk, and mothers are more sensitive to children's reactions than
scientific studies. Less lactose. Goat's milk contains slightly lower
levels of lactose (4.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in cow's milk), which
may be a small advantage in lactose-intolerant persons. Different
minerals. Although the mineral content of goat's milk and cow's milk is
generally similar, goat's milk contains 13 percent more calcium, 25
percent more vitamin B-6, 47 percent more vitamin A, 134 percent more
potassium, and three times more niacin. It is also four times higher in
copper. Goat's milk also contains 27 percent more of the antioxidant
selenium than cow's milk. Cow's milk contains five times as much vitamin
B-12 as goat's milk and ten times as much folic acid (12 mcg. in cow's
milk versus 1 mcg. for goat's milk per eight ounces with an RDA of 75-100
mcg. for children). The fact that goat's milk contains less than ten
percent of the amount of folic acid contained in cow's milk means that it
must be fortified with folic acid in order to be adequate as a formula or
milk substitute for infants and toddlers, and popular brands of goat's
milk may advertise "fortified with folic acid" on the carton."

Also lots of info at: http://www.goatworld.com/articles/whygoatmilk.shtml.

If you have a true casein allergy, then no milk will work for you.. but
remember, true allergies to casein are pretty rare, and allergy tests may
be inaccurate and all the more so for someone with IBD. If you've had an
anaphylactic reaction to milk in the past, then you should never eat any
dairy, ever.. but if you just feel a wonky when you have dairy, you may
just have a sensitivity and as you heal, that sensitivity may go away.