<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

At 11:08 AM 7/17/01 -0400, Allen Brown quoted the following two statements:

>casein is a phosphoprotein of milk, which has a molecular structure
>that is extremely similar to that of gluten.

This is an interesting assertion. I wonder if the original poster who wrote
this would let me know the source for this information.

>BUT, for me (and my understanding, most celiacs w/ this
>problem) lactose has nothing to do w/ it.  it is the protein found in
>mammal dairy products - caesin.  this is in so many different products
>and is not listed as "dairy".

Actually, casein is listed as "casein." But I would also be interested if
the original poster would let us know what source indicated that "lactose
has nothing to do w/ it. it is the protein found in mammal dairy products -
casein."

My understanding gleaned from physicians who specialize in celiac is that
celiac damages the villi in the small intestine, with the first slight
damage starting at the tips of the villi. Lactase, which allows us to
digest the milk sugar lactose, is produced at the tips of these villi.
Hence, only slight damage can cause lactose intolerance.

And my understanding of problems with casein is that they are usually
allergies, while our response to gluten is (loosely speaking) an
intolerance -- though not typical in all details to other intolerances.

If I've been laboring under a misapprehension, I would love to be disabused
of it if one of the two quoted posters above could help. -vance

NOTE: I am not advising anyone who has a problem with it, as I do, to
ingest casein.