casein intollerance question

willabec · Post by **willabec** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:02 am

do any of you know if casein intolerance can cause villous atrophy??

Post by **tex** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:31 pm

Yes, it definitely can, though most GI specialists are not likely to be aware of this. This is also one of the reasons why most celiacs never return to normal colonic mucosal histoligy, (IOW, they continue to show villus atrophy, on biopsies), despite rigidly following a GF diet, because they continue to ingest dairy products.

Cow dairy can cause an enteropathy similar to celiac disease. It is called Bovine Beta Casein Enteropathy. It acts like celiac disease, causing inflammation leading to villous blunting. The milk protein elicits the antibody reaction just like gluten does in celiac disease.

http://glutenfreeworks.com/blog/2009/04 ... s-atrophy/

The following is a quote from a long article about this issue from the website of John B. Symes, D.V.M. (aka Dogtor J ). Dr. Symes is a veterinarian, but he has done more research about food-related sensitivities, and he is far more knowledgeable about them, then more than 99% of the human GI specialists in the world.

Here is the important thing. The other “foods’ that coat (and subsequently damage) the intestinal villi...and the only ones that do this along with casein...are gluten, soy, and corn. These are the big four or the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” as I now like to call them. And it is man and animals against casein, gluten, soy, and corn as the title implies. The strongest evidence of their potential harm is found in the fact that all of these food elements are used to make adhesives...powerful adhesives. Casein, gluten and soy are the strongest, stickiest, and most powerfully antigenic glycoproteins while corn is a slightly less powerful but nonetheless very significant player (especially the corn that we have recently created). They put cars together with the super-glues manufactured from soy protein. They make waterproof industrial adhesives from casein and gluten that are used for numerous purposes ranging from the glue on stamps and envelopes to putting metal together. But, the “best” they can do with corn glues is to put cardboard boxes together. So, we see why the FDA and veterinary lists of food allergens are what they are: in order, the (primary) food allergens are cow’s milk, wheat, soy, and corn.

http://dogtorj.com/?page_id=104

Tex

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:31 pm

That's great info Tex, thanks for posting this. I had no idea that casein could cause problems like that and it sounds like the GI docs are not aware of this either.

--Joe

TooManyHats · Post by **TooManyHats** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:33 pm

I had no idea that was possible. All I can say is, WOW. I'll close my mouth now before it lets in flies.

Post by **tex** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:54 pm

That's not to say that everyone who has celiac disease, or an IBD, will develop villus atrophy, of course, but there's a good chance that those of us who do show villus damage from gluten, may also show villus damage from casein, (and possibly soy and/or corn). As usual, genetics probably play a role in this, (and there's no telling what else may be involved.

Tex

Celie · Post by **Celie** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:56 pm

Thanks Tex,
I learn something new here every day!

Celie

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:49 pm

So... is there a test like Enterolab for corn? I haven't been able to find one.

Post by **tex** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:33 am

I'm not aware of any stool test for corn that's reliable. MRT is probably the next best option for testing corn.

Tex