Casein is the protein in milk, which we find in all dairy products. But what are its negative health effects? We discover them for you.
An increasing number of nutritionists or doctors advise a rather punctual consumption of both milk and its different dairy derivatives, despite the fact that it was once considered a suitable product from both a nutritional and dietary point of view. The reason is found mainly in the increasing number of people who suffer from lactose intolerance (in most cases even without knowing it, and who nevertheless present annoying symptoms when they consume milk), in the latest published scientific studies that confirm its not so healthy effects, and especially in the presence of casein, despite being considered one of the best proteins that we could consume for its nutritional value and for its better digestion.
Milk is often thought of as a recommended food product, simply because we have been consuming it our entire lives. However, as many nutrition experts say, in reality the only milk we should drink is breast milk. Furthermore, in adulthood it would not be recommended at all, since there are other more appropriate options when it comes to providing calcium and other essential nutrients to our body.
Casein consists of milk proteins, which are found in micelles. When milk coagulates, it separates into a semi-solid phase (casein), and into a liquid phase where we find the whey. It is also known as a slow protein as it takes longer to digest than whey protein. And, ultimately, it is the main protein that we find in milk.
The negative health effects of casein
Increased mucus
When milk is digested, the different secondary products that appear as a consequence of the bacterial decomposition of casein tend to cause the appearance of thick, sticky and dense mucus which sticks to the mucous membranes. Its cause? The lack of digestive mechanisms in our body useful for the correct breakdown of casein.
This thick mucus tends to clog the respiratory system, not working smoothly. This consequence is related to respiratory diseases such as sinusitis, rhinitis and asthma, as well as pneumonia and otitis.
Deplete our natural defenses
Casein is considered a highly immunogenic protein. This means that for its digestion it demands a high production of antibodies and other supplements to our immune system, which can deplete it.
As a consequence, we are more vulnerable to infections, and other allergic reactions are also common. That is, milk protein behaves in the same way as an antigen, being considered by our body as a foreign agent and reacts by producing antibodies as if it were an infectious agent.
A regular and moderate consumption of dairy products can cause related symptoms such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, otitis and intestinal disorders.
Kidney damage
As long as the kidneys work properly, the consumption of casein in normal amounts does not usually cause problems, although in certain predisposed people it does. In fact, casein can cause kidney damage when there is already kidney damage, as a study carried out in 2004 found.
In this study the effects of casein were examined in rats with kidney disease. Consuming only 20% casein in a normal diet was found to cause the rats to develop kidney failure.
Milk allergy
In some people, the casein in milk can trigger allergies, which appear when our body identifies casein as a harmful substance or compound, releasing histamine in order to neutralize it.
In this sense, both whey and casein can trigger this allergic reaction, which usually arises with symptoms such as nasal congestion, skin rashes, itchy eyes, blisters, stomach pain and cramps, and in cases more serious an anaphylactic crisis.
Increases the risk of childhood diabetes
Different studies have found enough evidence that shows that cases of childhood diabetes increase especially in families that consume more milk, as a consequence of the damage suffered in the pancreas by the cells of the Islets of Langerhans.
As we explained in one of the previous sections, when faced with the presence of casein, our immune system produces antibodies, creating them against natural proteins in our own body. As a consequence, antibodies are produced against cells, tissues and molecules of the body.
