Casein and Milk Allergies

With an interesting connection to nanoparticles

I'm slowly working my way through my long list of member-requested articles, and today's new article is one that several people have asked for.

The article is about casein and milk allergies. Like most topics, there is genetic susceptibility that combines with environmental factors. In the article, I explore the research on why allergies to milk are common and also on the different types of casein (A1 vs. A2 milk).

One thing that surprised me is that nanoparticles commonly used in food, including titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide, adsorb milk proteins and increase their allergenicity.[ref][ref] The rise in food allergies likely has multiple causes, but the research on how these nanoparticles alter the structure of the milk protein is compelling.

I'm going to dig more into the research on silicon dioxide in the upcoming weeks since it's commonly added to supplements as a filler and anticaking agent. I want to know what size particles are used in food and supplements. Larger silicon dioxide particles should be inert (like eating sand), but I've seen some studies on the nanoparticles that are concerning. If anyone has good research on this, I would love it if you would share it with me!

Gratefully yours,

~ Debbie

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Casein and Cow’s Milk Allergies

Key takeaways:
~ Milk allergy is a common IgE food allergy and can involve casein or β-lactoglobulin sensitivity.
~ Nanoparticles interact with milk proteins to increase allergenicity.
~ Genetic variants in immune system genes increase susceptibility to milk allergy.

What is a milk allergy? And how do your genes increase the risk?

Cow’s Milk Allergy (CMA) is a term used to describe a reaction to cow’s milk proteins, specifically casein or β-lactoglobulin. This is different from lactose intolerance, which is an inability to break down the sugar lactose in milk. Both cow’s milk allergy and lactose intolerance are used to describe a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms associated with the consumption of milk and dairy products.

With the availability of lactose-free milk options, most people can determine if the problem is lactose or if it is one of the proteins in the milk. While most children have the ability to break down lactose by producing the lactase enzyme, the ability to produce lactase as an adult varies greatly by ancestry.

Related article: Lactase persistence

Cow’s milk allergy is a true allergy in which the body produces antigens to one of the proteins (usually casein) in milk. When the immune system is activated, mast cells will release large amounts of histamine and inflammatory cytokines. This sets off a cascade of events that cause your traditional allergy symptoms.[ref]

Cow’s milk allergy is most common in infants and children, with 50-90% outgrowing the allergy as they grow older.[ref]

Symptoms of milk allergy include:[ref]

• Hives or wheezing

• Swelling lips and tongue; itchy, tingly feeling around the lips; anaphylaxis

• Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, upset stomach

• Runny nose, watery eyes

What has caused the increase in milk allergies?

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New on Longevity Lifehacks

New study on slowing aging: Exploring a study that looked at the impact of three different interventions (omega-3s, exercise, and vitamin D) on biological age. You'll have to read the article to find out the winner :-)

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What I've been reading:

1.) Immunological and Antigenic Signatures Associated with Chronic Illnesses after COVID-19 Vaccination

This is a preprint from Yale researchers on a study of people who had health problems after the Covid mRNA vaccines. It seems to be a high quality study, but on the small side (64 participants). The finding that struck me is that the participants who had post-vaccine symptoms also had T-cell changes, and many had reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus. This is something that I think a lot of people suspected, but I hadn't seen it looked at in any studies.

The researchers also found that some participants had "significantly elevated levels of circulating S1 and S were observed in a subset of PVS participants both in the infection naive and infection-positive groups up to 709 days post-exposure. This is in line with the findings of S1 persistence in monocytes in people with PVS."

2.) Mouse study on gut-brain axis and autism

A new study in a mouse model of autism links an altered brain glutamate/GABA balance to the gut-brain axis. What’s interesting is that they were able to reverse some symptoms with a Lactobacillus probiotic. While this is specific to mice, it does bring up some interesting points about the altered glutamate/GABA balance, the immune response, the role of neuroinflammation, and the modulation of brain inflammation with gut bacteria.

Related Genetic Lifehacks articles: Glutamate Balance, GABA Genes

3) Intrinsic electrical activity drives small-cell lung cancer progression

Researchers have found that specific types of lung cancer cells express neuronal proteins that allow them to fire like neurons. The electrical impulses drive the cancer growth. Blocking the 'firing' of the tumor reduced it in mice.

I admit that I don't fully understand this study, but I'm including it here because someone else might. It seems to be a real breakthrough in understanding small-cell lung cancer progression and metastasis.