Beta Casein Protein of A1 and A2 Milk and its Impact on Human health

Milk is essential to all age groups of human beings. It has roughly 87% of water and the rest of 13% is lactose, sugar, protein, fat, sugar, vitamins and minerals in it.

What is Beta Casein?

Casein is the major component of the milk protein of which 30% is Beta Casein. Beta Casein has 2 kinds of variants namely A1 and A2. Beta casein consists of a chain of 229 amino acids.

5000 years ago, India had only indigenous breeds of cows and buffaloes. These breeds already were giving us A2 milk. But because of mutation in these proline amino acids, it later converted to histidine. This mutation created 13 variants in which A1 and A2 are most common.

Now, how this is impacting our health. Basically, when A1 Beta casein breaks down inside the intestine it produces beta casomorphin-7 (BCM 7) which is an opioid peptide similar to morphine. BCM 7 interacts with the human gastrointestinal tract, brain stems and internal organs. BCM 7 harms the immune response and this is also considered as a risk factor of chronic heart diseases and juvenile insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.  

While A2 Milk is easily digestible than A1. Indigenous breeds of cow like Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, Gir, Rathi are the types of breeds which give this elixir called A2 milk.