Re:  Ward Nicholsons queries about the Masai and Lactose intolerance

In the introduction to his book "Coronary Heart Disease" (available from
Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation 619-574-7763) Mann states on page 7:  "In
the 1960s we examined about 1500 Masai subjects in Kenya and Tanzania.  The
Masai are a pastoral, nomadic people who consume mainly milk and meat, and in
large quantities since they are active people.  We found them to have
cholesterol levels below 170 mg/dl and our autopsies of 50 adult males showed
little evidence of atheroma. . . The coronary vessels often showed fibrotic
scarring, but the subjects coronary arteries enlarge in lumenal dimensions
with increasing age.  Thus, these animal fat eaters show neither
hypercholesteremia, nor atheroma, nor heart attacks."

Fibrotic "scarring" is a phenomenon that occurs universally at certain
locations in the blood vessels in response to pressure gradients.  This
phenomenon is discussed in a chapter by the pathologist Meyer Texon in the
same volume.  The gradual buildup of such lesions is a protective device, and
not the same as atherosclerosis which involves pathogenic plaques that may
occlude the arteries.  These contain large amounts of calcium and fatty
material that is oxidized and polymerized.  By the way, the International
Atherosclerosis Project, in which  31,000 autopsies from 15 different
countries were examined, determined that vegetarians have just as much
atherosclerosis as meat eaters, and there was no correlation between amount
of fat in the diet nor the level of serum cholesterol with the amount or
degree of atherosclerosis. (Lab Invest 1986 18:465)

Continuing the debate  on milk products, we are arguing that even those with
adult lactase deficiency can tolerate fermented milk products in which the
lactose has been wholly or partially converted.  See "Modern Nutrition in
Health and Disease" 8th Edition 1994, page 40, from which we quote:  "Adult
lactase deficiency is the most common of all enzyme deficiencies; well over
half the worlds adults are lactose intolerant.  Small quantities of lactose
can be tolerated, however, and most individuals can tolerate up to 100 ml of
milk (5 g lactose) without any symptoms."

Geographic areas where the inhabitants traditionally consumed milk products
include the most of Europe, Middle Europe and Russia, the entire
Mediterranean basin, Asia Minor, northern Africa, parts of central Africa,
Ethiopia and some areas on the east African coast, all areas inhabited by
Arab groups, all of India and the Himalayas, Southeast Asia and northern
China.

To sum up:  Milk products have been around a long time, and have been
consumed by many population groups.  Most people can consume them to
advantage provided they have been properly produced and processed.  In fact,
consumption of milk products is associated with longevity and good health in
several traditional societies.  Such products provide many important
nutrients including saturated fats, fat soluble vitamins, protein, calcium
and many other minerals.  The fact that modern milk products are so poorly
tolerated, and associated with a number of diseases, should serve as a
warning against the kind of factory farming, genetic manipulation,
inappropriate feeding and industrial processing that dominates today's milk
industry.