Casein

[CarlaB]

I went gluten-free last December and felt a lot better. Almost three months later I got tested by Enterolab and had high numbers for both gluten and casein intolerance. Since I was feeling so good, I did not eliminate the casein. After 5 months gluten-free I'm feeling bad again much of the time and have linked it to milk consumption. I find it strange that I felt good for so long and am only now starting to feel the effects of the casein.

I was wondering what needs to be avoided to go casein-free. I don't know if it's in all milk products or not.

[Rachel--24]

I was wondering what needs to be avoided to go casein-free. I don't know if it's in all milk products or not.

Yes, its in all milk products, cheese, yogurt, etc. Even the stuff thats labeled non-dairy like Cool Whip contains casein.

Here are a couple links.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[AndreaB]

Carla,

You might want to try just Cheddar Cheese. With the aging process it goes through it does something to the cheese. Don't remember if it's the lactose or the casein though.

Just looked that up...it's the lactose that's easier to handle.

That makes things really difficult. We went of dairy and went on to soy. Since soy is as bad as gluten we went off of it. Now we found out that both my hubby and I are intolerant to it anyway. I am allergic to dairy but not intolerant so have added it back in. Mostly butter and some cheese for me. Just bought milk for the kids to try.

[CarlaB]

Thank you for the replies.

Rachel, did Enterolab find a casein intolerance when they did your tests? It seems so strange to me that I was feeling so much better and now feel so bad ... the brain fog and fatigue are the worst, but the digestive problems are there, too. My casein was 30 on the Enterolab test, with <10 being normal. I finally noticed that it was after I had a cup of coffee with cream, or a latte, or ice cream that I would feel bad again. Does this make sense? Sorry if I don't the brain fog is really bad.

[AndreaB]

Thank you for the replies.

Rachel, did Enterolab find a casein intolerance when they did your tests? It seems so strange to me that I was feeling so much better and now feel so bad ... the brain fog and fatigue are the worst, but the digestive problems are there, too. My casein was 30 on the Enterolab test, with <10 being normal. I finally noticed that it was after I had a cup of coffee with cream, or a latte, or ice cream that I would feel bad again. Does this make sense? Sorry if I don't the brain fog is really bad.

Carla,

Sounds like you need to eliminate all dairy.

[CarlaB]

Yea, today is my first day off dairy. How long will it take to feel better?

[flagbabyds]

it took me a couple days to feel better, but now i am bak on it, and i feel just fine!

hope it is only temporary (i can use lactaid without any problems) so they think it might have just been lactose not casein.

[CarlaB]

it took me a couple days to feel better, but now i am bak on it, and i feel just fine!

hope it is only temporary (i can use lactaid without any problems) so they think it might have just been lactose not casein.

I'm glad you seem to be able to tolerate milk again ... especially since you can't have gluten, corn or soy!

[flagbabyds]

i've very glad that i can have it again, i only had to stay off it for 3 months and then tried stuff w/ lactaid, adn it didn't make me sick, so now i am happily eating cheese again (and ice cream!)

[Mango04]

Yea, today is my first day off dairy. How long will it take to feel better?

I'd give it at least a month. I say that because I wouldn't want you to give up on it if you don't feel better right away. The effects of casein sometimes have a way of lingering around for quite a while after you eliminate it.

[Rachel--24]

Thank you for the replies.

Rachel, did Enterolab find a casein intolerance when they did your tests? It seems so strange to me that I was feeling so much better and now feel so bad ... the brain fog and fatigue are the worst, but the digestive problems are there, too. My casein was 30 on the Enterolab test, with <10 being normal. I finally noticed that it was after I had a cup of coffee with cream, or a latte, or ice cream that I would feel bad again. Does this make sense? Sorry if I don't the brain fog is really bad.

My Enterolab was negative for casein (9). I had already been off dairy 4 months before testing so dont know if it would have been positive had I been consuming it. I react to dairy so I'm off of it regardless.

[eKatherine]

It took me about a week after giving up dairy before I was able to fit into pretty shoes.

[Nancym]

I've been casein free for about 6 months. People get confused over casein and lactose, two totally different animals. Lactose is the sugar in milk and some processes, like culturing for yogurt and some cheese, the lactose is reduced. There's also an enzyme you can take or put in it that'll help you digest it. Some celiacs, the ones with intestinal damage especially, lose the ability to digest the lactose. But that can come back eventually.

Casein on the other hand is one of the proteins in milk, the other is whey. Casein isn't likely to be something you can ever digest, if you currently have problems. It is like gluten, very sticky stuff, if you've ever handled pure casein protein (I used to make protein drinks out of it... ugh!). I've heard that goat milk has a different sort of casein from cows milk. I'm currently experimenting with goat milk yogurt to see if I can tolerate it. I guess most mammals have variations to casein in their breast milk.

My main symptom to casein intolerance is bloating in the belly, gas, and I think both constipation and diarrhea.

[CarlaB]

My main symptom to casein intolerance is bloating in the belly, gas, and I think both constipation and diarrhea.

Yea, I've had the constipation, occassional diarrhea. My belly is bloated and I had expected that to go down when I got off gluten and it didn't. It's not bad because I'm pretty thin, but I notice it. It's the brain fog that gets to me.

This is my second day off it and I'm having the same symptoms as when I got off wheat (not gluten, I was off wheat first by a couple years). I feel like I have the flu -- extreme fatigue, d, and brain fog. I've only really been able to rest because I can't accomplish anything. I'm hoping this eases a bit by tomorrow. I've got to drive back to Indiana for my daughter's freshman orientation at IU.