# Casein/milk brain allergy



## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

Does anyone else feel better -- less SA, when eliminating milk protein, specifically casein?

*I know this doesn't apply to everyone.* Everyone doesn't have casein intolerance, but I do. Might you?

I was addicted to casein before. I loved milk and milk products. But I was experiencing heavy derealization, depersonalization, paranoia, feelings of persecution, guilt, increased OCD and intense emotional lability afterwards.

Anecdotal evidence (the most important for me, since I am the anecdote): Eliminating casein has slowly caused a lessening of my paranoia and social anxiety. There are things I eat that still have hidden casein I am sure, but 
I am eager to find it and eliminate it.

It takes 3-4 weeks to totally leave the body. Since it is addictive, it can be difficult to abstain from casein-containing products for that initial amount of time.

I am looking for more stories of casein causing mental health problems, and it's elimination being associated with an decrease in mental illness symptoms.

If you find yourself feeling calm and clear, then feel extremely weird, emotional, anxious or out of it after eating, it may be the casein. Or it could be some other intolerance, such as gluten, or soy or something else.

There are plenty of articles in the mainstream media that cite studies that have been done on ASD patients, declaring that a gluten-free, casein-free diet is bull****.

But that doesn't mean that people with anxiety, depression, dissociative issues and psychoses can't benefit from eliminating casein.

Anyone else seen an association between casein/milk and mental health symptoms?


----------



## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

I don't have a diagnosed casein allergy but I been tested for lactose intolerance and apparently I have one, I also have a gluten intolerance imo, although not officially diagnosed yet either, Ua I am aiming in the dark as to what really makes me ill.

I never experienced any food giving me anxiety but I sure as hell seem to react to just about all the food I ingest in my body at the moment.

I heard casein is a real issue if you are allergic to it and can cause very serious gut and other organ damage, so if it doesn't agree with you I would definitively cut it, possibly forever, you can always get almond milk, they come in plenty of different flavor, I wasn't so into it until I came across a brand I really like, here :

http://www.earthsown.com/almond-fresh.htm

Not as good for the nutriment as there is no protein really but still a very yummy alternative.


----------



## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

I do love me some almond milk!! Also, clean oat milk from gluten-free clean oats. Good stuff, too. Can't do soy, and rice milk isn't my thing.


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

I've noticed a difference since eliminating glutin and milk I can actually say I felt happy. I've tested positive for milk allergy and glutin. I brought 2 tub's of protein powder not to long ago First I eliminate milk I still was still consuming milk protein I noticed an even greater improvement when I cut that out as well.


----------



## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

That's really great! I'm happy for you. When I've not had gluten and casein for a while, it's like I suddenly notice I'm not depressed or anxious. It's pretty amazing, like you say you can actually say you felt happy, ha.

It's very hard for me to cut it all out, though, because of cravings. I have not been tested yet, but I know that I don't have an obvious IgE mediated allergy to milk. I have allergies to a bunch of other things-- food, animal and plant.

It's hard to keep a balance, though. I want to go crazy and eliminate a bunch of others stuff, but I know that doing so may cause me to forget that it's mainly milk and gluten.


----------



## coffeeaddict (Mar 19, 2012)

I think i have to try gluten and casein free diet also. Its just so fukin hard. Needs lot of planning with meals and everything. I guess after 2 months period I should see results if it helps or not.


----------



## newusernamethatdoesntexi (Jun 15, 2013)

It sounds sort of weird to say that milk/gluten allergies can cause mood disorders, but I actually think it kinds of makes sense now. Personally, I've noticed in the past few weeks that I get really bad headaches when eating yogurt.


----------



## housebunny (Oct 22, 2010)

I agree with what you are saying. I am beginning to think inflammation is at the root of some of my mental health issues. I'm doing an anti-inflammatory diet, and I agree it's hard to not eat those things that you like, but it makes a difference. And I've had some pretty bad experiences with drugs (prescription) so I'm going the anti-inflammatory route. I like it. Digestive enzymes are helpful, too.


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Yeah it totally worth it protein just get's filtered by the kidney's. Reducing that would improve gfr. I still have some protein powder once in awhile I spent almost 200 buck's on 2 tubs hehe might as well use it. It take's about a month to make it a habit! Keep trying I found out I'm allergic to yeast to so that can explain some of my bad reaction to alcohol plus the glutin to. I've been losing lot's of water weight or something everyday my weight going down : )

I want to get a complete allergy test to everything that would be so cool lol. I'm also allergic to yeast peanuts egg whites cowsmilk Malt halibut kidney beans mushrooms pineapple most are nearing the moderate. Nothing is severe.


----------



## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

Hell ya it's hard esp. because stuff one is allergic to is craved and addictive. Milk was my favorite drink.

I totally believe that inflammation is at the root of depression, too. Gotta get a c reactive protein blood test and get off the sugar, processed foods and get on some curcurmin/piper-whatsitcalled supplements.

I know I am allergic to or intolerant of other foods because I feel bad after lots of foods. Beans are high histamine, brassicas are goitrogenic, salicylates cause mh problems, etc.


----------



## Billius (Aug 7, 2012)

That is how I feel about this thread, I don't even know where to start


----------



## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

it's sad we can't drink milk huh


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

I think, I'm still allergic to some fruits and vegatables I still get some constipation. I wonder where I can get a more complete test.

My blood pressure has been super low lately 118/76. Mild food allergy would produce hyperactivity from the histamine release. Severe reaction could kill. 

There was a report of a kid mild milk allergy turned severe insistly and it killed her it was just on the news here yesterday.


----------



## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

What kind of allergy is it you have to food? Is it Oral Allergy Syndrome? Do you have an IgE mediated allergy to milk? I don't, I have a "brain allergy" or intolerance to casein.


----------



## kakrpa009 (May 1, 2014)

@popeet have you found out anything more about an association between casein/milk and mental health symptoms? I have severe anxiety/OCD and am curious about possible benefits of eliminating casein.

I did have a saliva test done about a year ago which included testing sensitivity to Casein, Soy, Egg, etc. The Casein result came back equivocal (meaning not positive, but not negative either). So I've been unsure whether I to eliminate it or not (I do love my diary). Thoughts??


----------



## silvermoon (May 2, 2014)

When I was vegan the first time my SA was pretty severe, but the second time it was significantly better. I think this is because the second time around I was eating healthy foods, instead of convenience vegan food, and was gluten free. I had a negative test for gluten intolerance but cutting it out absolutely had positive effects for me, so I would suggest listening to your body on this one. 

I'm doing a dairy free trial with my daughter right now for her behavior issues and within a few days I noticed a big difference in focus and anxiety type behaviors. She's only 6 so these issues are undiagnosed, but she is in therapy.


----------



## bonz (Jun 6, 2007)

Humans are not suppose to drink milk by the simple fact we aren't calfs. But, it's damn addictive. I've had an on and off relationship with milk whether or not it does trigger my eczema, but I've changed to lactose free, and might move on to coconut milk.


----------



## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

Cow's milk is just generally a bad idea for humans.


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

^^Lots of foods shouldn't be eaten for ethical reasons, 

Meat because it wrong to take a life, Wheat and certain grains because they are for cattle and animals and not for human consumption. 

If people want to be cattle then go ahead eat wheat.

Milk stolen from the cattle.

We may not know this, But we pay for breaking these laws.


----------



## ctp (Oct 30, 2013)

http://www.ameerrosic.com/is-dairy-making-you-angry/

Dairy makes some feel great initially then a few hours later feel aggressive or anxious

casein is a major protein in milk.

Science papers published in respectable peer-reviewed journals link casein with significant mental health issues
*Immune activation by casein dietary antigens in bipolar disorder*
*Objectives: * Inflammation and other immune processes are increasingly linked to psychiatric diseases. Antigenic triggers specific to bipolar disorder are not yet defined. We tested whether antibodies to bovine milk caseins were associated with bipolar disorder, and whether patients recognized different epitopes of the casein protein than control individuals.

*Conclusions: * Anti-casein IgG associations with bipolar I diagnoses, psychotic symptom history, and mania severity scores suggest that casein-related immune activation may relate to the psychosis and mania components of this mood disorder. Case-control differences in epitope recognition implicate disease-related alterations in how the casein molecule is digested and/or how resulting casein-derived structures are rendered immunogenic.

and
*Association between bovine casein antibody and new onset schizophrenia among US military personnel*

Schizophrenia is a pervasive neuropsychiatric disorder of uncertain etiology. Multiple studies have documented immune activation in individuals with schizophrenia. One antigen capable of inducing a prolonged immune response is bovine casein derived from ingested milk products. Increased levels of casein antibodies have been found in individuals with schizophrenia after diagnosis.

There are quite a few more studies...

If you *love milk* then you might want to give it up for a few weeks - stop all dairy including cheese and butter - and then try a big glass of milk early one morning and see if you have any reaction a few hours later. Not much to lose but maybe you'll find a trigger for some of your anxiety.


----------

