Hi Ken,
There are some very good reasons that both athletes and those 
pathetically lacking in fitness should avoid casein. First, milk is a 
food designed by nature or evolution, depending on your paradigm, to 
feed infants. Second, casein contains eight opioid sequences such as 
have been shown to down-regulate facets of the human immune system and 
alter blood flow patterns in the brain. Third, several peptides from 
casein resist digestion and have sequence homology with some self 
tissues and when macromolecular leakage into the bloodstream occurs, a 
process called molecular mimicry is triggered to incite autoimmunity.

If the researchers recommending these proteins are not familiar with or 
not persuaded by this research, then they will likely recommend such 
nutritional strategies. However, I have dealt with two body builders who 
insisted on the value of their casein/whey powders but who both admitted 
to feeling better and performing better after excluding these proteins 
from their regimens.

Best Wishes,
Ron Hoggan



Ken O'Neill wrote:
> Interesting thread. While off topic of that thread, I'd like to pose a
> question that vexes me.
>
> Cordain eschews casein in the diet, as do organizations supporting persons
> with certain inflammatory conditions. As far as I can tell, they share in
> common an orientation looking at a spectrum ranging from pathological
> degenerative conditions on the one hand, and the other extreme of some vague
> notion of normative health - as absence of disease or some construct of the
> life of noble savage hunter/scavengers.
>
> Other researchers strongly advocate casein, even advocating dietary ratios
> of 80% whey isolate to 20% casein (the inverse of naturally occurring
> proportions found in milk). Whey, like soy isolate, absorbs rapidly; casein,
> on the other hand, is slow in breaking down and absorption. For peak
> performance, high intensity sports (not aerobic events such as marathons),
> post-workout recovery includes protein synthesis - and nutrient timing
> approaches work to maintain positive nitrogen balance for 24 hours or longer
> post-workout.
>
> In principle, Paleo type diets go a long way in satisfying nutritional
> requirements pursuant to maintaining an anabolic physiological condition.In
> fact, diets advocating nutritional approaches similar to Paleo but without
> the Paleo construct go well back in Physical Culture. Prior to Atkins, both
> Vince "the Iron Guru" Gironda and developer of the first commercial protein
> product, Irwin Johnson (later known as Rheo H Blair) advocated a casein/egg
> protein powder used mixed with unpasteurized dairy cream or unpasteurized
> 1/2 and 1/2 (in Southern California of the 60s, Alta Dena raw milk was
> available throughout the State) - producing bigger muscles and low bodyfat.
> Mauro di Pasquali, MD, developed the Anabolic Diet in the early 90s to
> optimize training outcomes without steroids.
>
> I'd sure appreciate comments and insight concerning the casein debate. Could
> it be that increasingly physically trained and fitness results in
> physiological/metabolic conditions more in line with genetic potentialities
> established long ago. Could it be the normal degenerating person, downwardly
> spiraling from sedentary to sedate, exhibits an inferior metabolism
> rendering casein problematic by symptom? In other words, is casein the
> problem or is it our pathetic lacks of fitness? Why does it benefit athletes
> and not the average man on the street?
>
> best regards,
>
> Ken O'Neill
> Wimberley, TX
>
>