Milk, Glorious Milk

 2017: New research heralds the amazing medical benefits of mammalian milk.

It seems the most we hear about milk research these days is related to lactose intolerance, allergies, or contamination. And these certainly are serious health conditions. However, a new research study published in Food Reviews International offers renewed insight and celebration for the redeeming qualities of nature's white nectar. It is through ongoing research on milk that breakthroughs and treatments of milk-related conditions plus a host of other ailments are also furthered.

A team of researchers from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Poland, Darewicz, B., Dziuba, Minkiewicz, and J. Dziuba, considered the "preventive potential of millk and colostrum proteins and protein fragments." This article is a review of their upcoming October 2011 published work, already available for preview. A read of the full research piece is always recommended to complement this review.

Milk, Glorious Milk

Darewicz et al. introduced their research study by singing the praises of milk including:

How milk is fundamental to the nutrition and immunity for more than 4000 mammals;

How milk is chock-full of so many key proteins, fats, minerals, and a list of vitamins, e.g., A & B;

How first milk (colostrum) serves up unique and precious components for newborns, e.g., immunoglobulins, extra vitamins and extra calcium, etc.; and

How research has explored the recombinant proteins, "functional attributes, nutritional value, and allergizing properties" of this amazing natural food.

Speaking of proteins, Darewicz et al. provided additional insight on the increasing interest in "biologically active proteins and peptides" in medicine and food sources. Health courses in school may have provided some instruction on the nature of proteins, e.g., proteins are made of building blocks called amino acids and are required for energy in living cells. Many students' understanding may have ended there.

However, as Darewicz et al. point out, the understanding of milk protein chemistry has exploded in a good way in more recent years. Researchers have taken proteins to task and have reportedly determined a vast world of "biologically active peptides" and enzymes are at play below the amino acid level. And researchers appear to agree, milk contains a plethora of these amazing components. Besides enabling the fermentation processes involved in making cheese and other dairy products, milk peptides are believed to hold secrets of anti-hypertensive, anti-microbial functions, and the buzz word of the millennium, anti-oxidants.

Darewicz et al. do advise that the human digestion process may wreak havoc on some bioactive peptides. The soup of digestive enzymes and acids in most stomachs appears to be pretty tough on milk peptides, and there are other chemical properties at play in the survival and transport of the digested milk components. The researchers provide an excellent overview of some testing on "casein and whey proteins" that followed various peptides into the cellular levels.

Computers and Milk Research Data

Darewicz et al. inform readers about the relatively new area of science called "bioinformatics." While lab researchers have been using statistical analysis to prove their hypotheses for generations, the computer age has given way to mankind's ability to infinitely slice and dice test data. Such was the case in the research highlighted in the University of Warmia and Mazury study. Protein "data" was interrogated to help predict various attributes of milk peptides. By testing and cataloging the results, the medicinal properties of peptides and even fragments of peptides may be identified for further analysis. Darewicz et al. point out that through these focused studies various anti-thrombotic actions and celiac disease studies from various milk protein fractions have been discovered.

Milk Components and Related Research

Here is a partial list of milk components released by various biochemical and enzymatic action and the potential treatment areas mentioned by the Polish researchers:

Caseins (in addition to those listed above, nervous system opioids, other immunity modulators);

Whey proteins (anti-hypertensive, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, opioids, stress reduction, and anti-viral);

Lactoferrin (anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-cancer);

Lysozyme (anti-microbial, anti-caries, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, and food preservation);

Lactoperoxidase (anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory);

Glycomacropeptide (anti-bacterial, caries prevention, opioids, anti-thrombotic, enhanced "adsorption of zinc, calcium, and iron," immune responsiveness, and weight control; and

Protein-Rich Peptides (anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and in the case of colostrinin, enhances certain immunity aspects and has been studied in anti-Alzheimer applications.

Conclusion

Darewicz et al. have definitely reinvigorated my respect for natural milk. While many of the treatments cited may also require special or restricted processing in order to glean the desired effects, I agree with this team that a "new range of applications for milk and colostrum proteins and peptides" are poised to reveal new wonders.

Special thanks to Dr. Malgozata Darewicz, Professor and Chair at the University of Warmia and Mazury, for sharing additional insight with me on the team's research efforts.

Disclaimer: This is an editorial review only, written by a non-medical author, and is subject to change or update. The information and links contained in this article are for educational purposes only to support further inquiry and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a licensed medical doctor for advice. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, readers should always refer to the original cited sources for verification and/or any interpretation of source material. Author assumes no liability for content, errors, and/or omissions.