Casein is a protein that causes food intolerance in people who are intolerant to it. Find out what symptoms it produces and how it is treated.
Although milk can be considered a healthy drink from a nutritional point of view, the reality is that its different nutrients cause food intolerances in a large part of the population, despite the fact that -the vast majority- originally are unaware that they suffer from any intolerance to this natural food.
In milk we can find different compounds or nutrients that are the main “culprits” of this type of intolerance.
This is the case, for example, of lactose, the milk sugar which itself breaks down into two other simpler sugars (glucose and galactose), thanks to the action of the enzyme lactase. When there is a lack of lactase, lactose passes into the large intestine without breaking down and begins to ferment, which gives rise to the annoying symptoms of lactose intolerance.
However, casein is another of those nutrients guilty of another intolerance, this time due to intolerance to milk protein.
What is casein?
It is the protein component of milk (together with a-Lactoalbumin and b-Lactoglobulin), characterized by being a rough and very thick substance.
Cow’s milk contains more casein than human milk (around 300% more), hence the symptoms of casein intolerance are much greater when this type of milk is consumed.
But while it is true that casein intolerance causes symptoms that are quite similar to lactose (hence they tend to be commonly confused), there are other problems derived from the consumption of casein.
This is due to the fact that cow’s milk produces much more mucus, a dense and sticky substance that hinders the elimination powers of the body, so it ends up clogging the entire respiratory system and prevents it from functioning properly.
Symptoms of casein intolerance
The symptoms of casein intolerance are quite similar to those of lactose intolerance:
- Abdominal pain and discomfort.
- Reflux.
- Heartburn.
- Diarrhea.
Is there a treatment for casein intolerance?
As with lactose intolerance, there is no treatment for casein intolerance, since the key to treatment is to follow a casein-free diet.
The key? Replace all dairy and foods with calcium or sodium caseinate.
