Am I lactose-intolerant or A1-intolerant?
September 28, 2022 1:15 AM Subscribe
What is the relationship (if any) between the intolerance of A1 beta-casein (a protein) and lactose (a sugar)?
I have been lactose intolerant for 25 years. Lactaid pills have always been pretty effective at helping me cope with occasional dairy consumption, although I try to avoid dairy as much as I can, because while the pills help, they don’t completely negate the effects of lactose. I tried A2 milk when it came out and discovered that I can consume it with zero issues. So all this time I thought I was lactose intolerant, was I actually A1 intolerant? Both?
A1 and A2 beta-casein refers to the types of protein found in cows milk. “A2" is also a brand name of cow’s milk from cows that produce only A2 protein. Apparently different breeds of cows have varying ratios of A1 and A2 proteins, for example, Jersey cows produce 100% A2, Guernseys produce 70/30% A2/A1, and Holsteins 50/50% A2/A1. My understanding is that the breeds that produce the highest volume of milk, and are therefore preferred by the dairy industry, are the A1/A2 mixtures. It’s a bit more expensive to produce A2-only milk because those breeds have a lower yield.
I have no issue with non-cow dairy products like goat and sheep yogurt and cheeses and buffalo milk cheeses, so I rely on those where I want “dairy". But it has got me thinking about why, on the one hand, adding the lactase enzyme to my meals really seems to help in my tolerance of dairy, but on the other hand, using A2 milk doesn’t cause any adverse effects, but presumably still contains lactose? These seem like they should be two different things, since one is about a sugar and the other a protein? Am I imagining the benefit of lactase pills?
I have been lactose intolerant for 25 years. Lactaid pills have always been pretty effective at helping me cope with occasional dairy consumption, although I try to avoid dairy as much as I can, because while the pills help, they don’t completely negate the effects of lactose. I tried A2 milk when it came out and discovered that I can consume it with zero issues. So all this time I thought I was lactose intolerant, was I actually A1 intolerant? Both?
A1 and A2 beta-casein refers to the types of protein found in cows milk. “A2" is also a brand name of cow’s milk from cows that produce only A2 protein. Apparently different breeds of cows have varying ratios of A1 and A2 proteins, for example, Jersey cows produce 100% A2, Guernseys produce 70/30% A2/A1, and Holsteins 50/50% A2/A1. My understanding is that the breeds that produce the highest volume of milk, and are therefore preferred by the dairy industry, are the A1/A2 mixtures. It’s a bit more expensive to produce A2-only milk because those breeds have a lower yield.
I have no issue with non-cow dairy products like goat and sheep yogurt and cheeses and buffalo milk cheeses, so I rely on those where I want “dairy". But it has got me thinking about why, on the one hand, adding the lactase enzyme to my meals really seems to help in my tolerance of dairy, but on the other hand, using A2 milk doesn’t cause any adverse effects, but presumably still contains lactose? These seem like they should be two different things, since one is about a sugar and the other a protein? Am I imagining the benefit of lactase pills?
Best answer: You don't seem to be alone in experiencing this. This article suggests that the issue might be related to both A1 protein and lactose: https://www.thehealthy.com/allergies/a1-protein/
posted by kinddieserzeit at 3:03 AM on September 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kinddieserzeit at 3:03 AM on September 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anecdotally, I seem to be able to have any dairy that hasn’t been homogenized, but actual milk gives me all kinds of unpleasantness.
posted by aspersioncast at 5:27 PM on September 28, 2022
posted by aspersioncast at 5:27 PM on September 28, 2022
Response by poster: Thanks for that link, kinddieserzeit, it speaks to a possible interplay between the protein and sugar in milk.
The A1 protein might make it harder for lactose-intolerant people to digest the milk sugar, says Johnson. The inflammation from the digested A1 protein known as BCM-7 starts high up in the gut, and that inflammation can make digesting lactose even tougher. “If you can stop inflammation up top, you can make the gut environment more hospitable for breaking down lactose later on,” says Johnson.
That would indicate that even though the A2 milk has lactose, since it isn't causing inflammation, the body has a better chance at dealing with the lactose. That could at least explain why I'm OK with A2, but still get benefit from Lactaid pills. And backs up crocomancer's wife's perspective too.
aspersioncast, that's an interesting data point. The Jersey cow milk brand I sometimes buy when I can't get A2, is unhomogonized, and I have no trouble with that. But the homogonized A2 brand works just fine too. I'll have to experiment with a nonhomogonized non-A2/Jersey milk.
posted by amusebuche at 1:47 AM on September 29, 2022
The A1 protein might make it harder for lactose-intolerant people to digest the milk sugar, says Johnson. The inflammation from the digested A1 protein known as BCM-7 starts high up in the gut, and that inflammation can make digesting lactose even tougher. “If you can stop inflammation up top, you can make the gut environment more hospitable for breaking down lactose later on,” says Johnson.
That would indicate that even though the A2 milk has lactose, since it isn't causing inflammation, the body has a better chance at dealing with the lactose. That could at least explain why I'm OK with A2, but still get benefit from Lactaid pills. And backs up crocomancer's wife's perspective too.
aspersioncast, that's an interesting data point. The Jersey cow milk brand I sometimes buy when I can't get A2, is unhomogonized, and I have no trouble with that. But the homogonized A2 brand works just fine too. I'll have to experiment with a nonhomogonized non-A2/Jersey milk.
posted by amusebuche at 1:47 AM on September 29, 2022
« Older Submitting short stories online - Explain it like... | If I borrow my neighbor's pickup, should I fill... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by crocomancer at 1:53 AM on September 28, 2022