Our Complicated Love Affair with Milk!

With the prevalence of Lactose Intolerance, a team of international scientists was assembled to study ancient European milk drinking habits. 

The research team wanted to see if there was a connection between increased milk consumption and the development of the capacity to digest animal milk fully and properly. 

Their observations and studies seem to suggest that a genetic mutation entering humanity’s collective genome occurred about 4,000-6000 years ago by their account that was responsible for the latter change. 

Before then they conjectured that humans were naturally lactose intolerant.

An article from Nature about this subject commented, “Prehistoric people in Europe may have started consuming milk from domesticated animals thousands of years before they evolved the gene to digest it since cattle were first domesticated in Southwest Asia in 9 BC and introduced to Europe a few centuries after that”.

This statement could be highly accurate but who really knows?

However, as we discuss later in this discussion, there is a possible caveat.

The theory was that those who could digest milk would have gained a new source of calories and nutrients, they, therefore, would have been healthier and would have produced healthier children in comparison to those who were lactose intolerant. 

Lactose intolerance is the label used to designate people who lack the ability to produce the enzyme “lactase” responsible for efficient milk-sugar digestion. 

This would have been the case whether the latter individuals chose to drink milk and suffer the consequences, or choose to pass on milk and deal with the possible nutritional deficiencies that could have resulted.

From a well-organized and disciplined study of genetic markers, the tracking of the gene responsible for lactase enzyme was consistently not present in the lactose intolerant remains of earlier prehistoric man.

But does this mean if the gene is not present and the lactase enzyme is not synthesized de novo, does that mean every kind of milk product ingested causes lactose intolerance symptoms?

The answer is clearly no.

Why?

There are several reasons to briefly discuss.

Most significant to me, at about the same time as the whole milk drinking, the discovery of fermented milk and cheeses took hold.

When this happened has dates all over the place from 4000 to 10,000 years ago, but drinking fermented vs non-fermented milk is about in the same time frame side by side.

Why this is significant?

Because may this possibly suggest, that perhaps the “lactose intolerant” ancient humans, who saw their friends and family thrive and could not at the same level with this intolerance with fresh milk, were somehow motivated explorers to discover and create solutions in obtaining the benefits of milk without having to endure the. uncomfortable and even damaging consequences of lactose intolerance and milk allergy sensitivity. 

Not confirmed, but an interesting notion to speculate.

So. the bottom line is milk good for us? Is it linked to better health and longevity?
 
The answers seem to be yes and no.
 
Yes for milk that is fermented and supports and supplements our microbiome, such as yogurt, kefir, and cheese. and no or less so for non-fermented milk products.
 
 ” A growing body of research has linked high milk consumption to potentially negative health effects, particularly when it comes to aging — and yet, other studies have found that consuming fermented milk products like yogurt and kefir helps protect health and longevity. A new study out of Germany explores the effects of pasteurized non-fermented milk on health and why fermented dairy doesn’t have the same negative impact”.Slash Gear” April 2022.
 
So for you fermented milk drinkers, here are some of the strong advantages of fermented milk  likely discovered as well by our ancient forefathers:
1. Bacteria such as Lactis bulgaricus, thermophilous, acidophilous,  etc,  as found in yogurt, cheese, and kefir that create fermentation actually produce lactase enzyme, the same enzyme being missed by the lactose intolerant.

2. Lactose when fermented practically disappears as it is converted into lactic acid and other healthy organic acids–no longer or greatly minimized. lactose problem even if they have a lactase enzyme deficiency!

3. Fermentation drops the pH and helps to denature allergenic proteins and immunoglobulins. Thus those with milk allergy sensitives have much less allergenic tendencies than non-fermented milk. This is very significant, for milk allergies and lactose sensitivity are two entirely different things. Also, the lower pH, assists in the absorption of Calcium and other minerals.

4. The conversion of proteins and the presence of various bacteria creates a product of great taste diversity and much more efficient nutrition,  but most significantly far greater preservation capabilities.

So if feasible and easily tolerated, incorporating some fermented milk products into a well-rounded, strongly emphasized plant-based diet such as the Mediterranean Diet, can offer variety, terrific digestible nutrition, and a great way to build-up and optimize your microbiome for all members of the family!