New Research About Gliadin (gluten) In Breast Milk

[Nancym]

Sorry: On restrospect, not new research, old research no one seems to have read.

I think parents figured this out LONG before doctors and researchers. Kudos to you bright folks!

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Results: Gliadin was detected in all 49 milk samples. Its concentration varied between 5 and 1200 ng/ml (mean, 178 ng/ml). In colostrum (n = 14) gliadin levels were higher (range, 28-9000 ng/ml; mean, 883 ng/ml), not being detectable in one case. Gliadin was detectable in 14 of 31 serum samples, in which levels were lower than in milk and colostrum samples (mean, 41 ng/ml). Neither a correlation between gliadin levels in milk, colostrum, and serum samples from the same subject nor a relation between gluten intake and gliadin concentration in milk samples from six subjects under a 3-day gluten-free diet could be found. Higher levels of immune complexes were observed in colostrum samples than in milk and serum samples. No correlation was detected between gliadin concentration and the level of immune complexes. The analysis of milk and colostrum samples by immunoblotting showed bands of immunoreactive gliadin presenting Mr similar to those of native proteins from wheat extracts. Conclusions: Very high levels of gliadin were detected in milk samples from healthy mothers on an unrestricted diet. Gliadin levels were higher than those reported for dietary antigens in other studies. Breast milk contained non-degraded gliadins and gliadin/anti-gliadin IgA immune complexes.

So... if they're feeding cows wheat couldn't it be part of the reason some of us don't get any better when drinking milk?

[Ursa Major]

I think parents figured this out LONG before doctors and researchers. Kudos to you bright folks!

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So... if they're feeding cows wheat couldn't it be part of the reason some of us don't get any better when drinking milk?

Yep, I have thought about that, too. If human mothers will have the gliadin in their milk when eating gluten grains, it makes sense that it would also be in the milk of cows that are being fed wheat.

On the other hand, wheat is usually fed to cattle to fatten them up for slaughter. Dairy cows don't need to be fattened, since obviously, the intent to slaughter them isn't there. So the question is: Do farmers feed dairy cows wheat?

I will ask my future son-in-law, who's family owns a dairy farm. I see them tomorrow. My daughter constantly reminds me not to say things like, "NOBODY should drink dairy, it isn't good for humans!" in his presence, because I forget that it might offend him. But the truth is the truth.

[jerseyangel]

This is interesting--I never thought of it but it does make sense to me that if a cow eats wheat, the milk could have gluten--the same as a human.

Wow. Ursula, I'll be very interested to hear what you find out.

BTW, that is a very impressive recorder collection. I love the recorder--I have one that I've had since I was about 10.

[AndreaB]

I had this figured out due to my son's eczema which didn't clear up until I went gluten free.

As far as cows and wheat. Would having four stomaches help with the processing of the wheat? I know they do better on grass though.

[JennyC]

Wow that really makes sense. I breastfed my son for 9 months. He constantly spit up, even as he got older. It was not until I switched to formula (that happened to be gluten free) that he quit spitting up. By that age he was also consuming lots of gluten on his own and his diarrhea and classic celiac symptoms remained. It really puts it all into perspective. Thank you for the informative post.

[Ursa Major]

BTW, that is a very impressive recorder collection. I love the recorder--I have one that I've had since I was about 10.

Thanks, Patti. I play them, too, so it is a practical collection as well. And by next week I'll have another one, as today is my 28th wedding anniversary, and my husband is giving me another recorder! Those in the picture are only my wooden recorders, I have plastic ones as well (which obviously aren't nearly worth as much).

I'll let you know what Ben says tomorrow (I hope I remember to ask him, as I am playing some recorder pieces in a recital tomorrow, and I am kind of nervous about that).

[jerseyangel]

Ursula--congratulations to you and your husband on your anniversary!

Enjoy your new recorder

[Nancym]

I had this figured out due to my son's eczema which didn't clear up until I went gluten free.

As far as cows and wheat. Would having four stomaches help with the processing of the wheat? I know they do better on grass though.

Cows are geared towards digesting grasses. Grains give them a really acidic stomach so they have to keep them on antibiotics so they don't die of horrible stomach infections. So no, having 4 stomachs doesn't help out a cow being fed grain. :\

[HawkFire]

So, would any and all dairy products contain gluten then? Like perhaps gluten free breads prepared with dairy. Or whey protein. Would that have gluten? We are dairy free anyway, but it this news throws a wrench in any and all gluten free foods prepared with dairy.

[Nancym]

I guess first thing to figure out is if dairy cows are fed wheat.

[happygirl]

Nancy---Thanks for posting this. I was a bit confused though---you mentioned it is new research, but the article was published in 1998?

[Nancym]

Hey, it's new to me! Sorry, I didn't check the date, I just assumed it was new.

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[sillyactsue]

Hey, it's new to me! Sorry, I didn't check the date, I just assumed it was new.

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Hi Nancy,

I went to your link and saw that they are given wheat middlings. After reading the definition of wheat middling I still don't know what it is but it says protein. It is all greek (I mean gluten) to me.

Gloria

[Nancym]

The protein part of wheat is unfortunately the very stuff we can't eat.

[loraleena]

Even more reason for everyone to eat only grass fed organic meat and dairy products.

[Generic]

Now, I'm wondering if the people that don't tolerate lactose and/or caesin are not reacting to it after all and it is really gluten in the dairy....

[Nancym]

I would imagine casein has it's own antibodies, like eggs, yeast, soy and everything else. So if you're looking for a specific antibody it is a reaction to that protein, not some other protein.

[Ursa Major]

I asked my future son-in-law if dairy cows are fed wheat. He said that no, generally they don't eat wheat. But they are fed a LOT of soy! Meaning that there is soy in all dairy. I would never have thought of that. So, for anyone who is intolerant or allergic to soy, you shouldn't have dairy either.

[jerseyangel]

I asked my future son-in-law if dairy cows are fed wheat. He said that no, generally they don't eat wheat. But they are fed a LOT of soy! Meaning that there is soy in all dairy. I would never have thought of that. So, for anyone who is intolerant or allergic to soy, you shouldn't have dairy either.

That's very interesting--I (as you know) am intolerant to both soy and dairy. So many of us are....

Good news on the wheat, though

[CuriousOne]

This is crazy but makes sense. I remember 6 months ago I was eating all raw. Vegan. I decided to start including raw eggs in my diet. I was just perplexed why I would have bloating from raw eggs...sometimes feeling tired.

And now I think its because of the soy and possibly gluten metabolites in the eggs...

[fedora]

hi curious one,

the protein in eggs has to be cooked to have the breaking down of the proteins started. Eating raw eggs, the protein is undigestable. I am taking nutrition(maybe will be a dietician) and that is what my class was taught. Maybe you bloated from that. I do have gluten-free friends who don't eat eggs from chickens fed wheat. They say they react. They do okay with corn fed chicken eggs though. I do fine with eggs.

[home-based-mom]

Have researchers actually purchased milk off the shelves in stores around the country (as we would) and tested it for gluten?

[RiceGuy]

According to the list of stuff they suggest feeding cows, there is not only wheat middlings, but brewers and distillers grains. That definitely means barley if nothing else, doesn't it? Plus it seems those are in the highest ratios.

Not only that, but cows are most certainly herbivores, and this isn't the first time I heard animal parts and blood is feed to cattle. They do it first and foremost because it's cheap, which is also indicated by that article.

Now more than ever, I'm glad I don't eat stuff from animals.

[tarnalberry]

well, there are assumptions here when making those sorts of comparisons. and the assumptions that cows and humans have similar digestive systems when it comes to grasses is definitely a false assumption. I know I certainly don't have four stomachs and don't chew my cud.

[CuriousOne]

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I post an email to Dr.J. regarding my question from Gluten in Dairy. Here is his response this morning.

Great questions. I do believe that you are right in your thinking about the gluten consumed by dairy cattle being able to pass into their milk, at least the antibody-sized lectins of this troublesome glycoprotein should be able to. The good news for milk drinkers is that the fermentation of grains that takes place in the fore-stomach of cattle lessens the toxicity.

BUT once sensitized, the individual could certainly react to the smaller amounts that survive this process. I frequently tell people to think "peanut allergy" as far as how little of an antigen/allergen it can take to produce a reaction. As you know, avoidance is always best once we realize that we are afflicted.

Unfortunately, it is quite hard to eliminate all traces of gluten when we are consuming the flesh and products of grain fed animals, including poultry, cattle and even fish. We do have celiacs reacting to the lectins of gluten in chickens now. Ugh! But again, chickens (and farm-raised fish) are simple-stomached animals and the lack of fermentation allows more gluten into their flesh than that of cattle.

Does the grain feeding of dairy cattle potentiate casein? I think that's a great question. It certainly reduces the amount of protective omega three fatty acids in the flesh of cattle and the eggs of chickens. I think it could easily make casein different/worse but I have not checked into that.

But the main thing that we know makes casein worse is pasteurization. That's why more and more are recommending raw milk. However, that is potentially quite dangerous as some very harmful organisms can be consumed that way.

Just last week, the FDA recalled raw milk that was contaminated with Listeria, a bacteria that causes mild to severe symptoms including miscarriages. Pasteurized goat milk is the better alternative. The bad news is that the "worst of the worst" casein intolerants could even react to the 1-2%casein in goat milk as well as the other proteins that can cross-react with cow's milk.

The sad thing is that if we had never messed up God's wheat back in the mid 400's AD and not jumped ship from goat's milk to cow's milk, I don't think we would be having this discussion. But we did, didn't we?

Thanks for writing.

John

John B. Symes, D.V.M. ("Dogtor J")