Type 1 diabetes is the one that usually affects an individual during his or her childhood. It is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas of the patient is unable to produce enough insulin required by the body. Type 2, on the other hand, effects during adulthood and the causes can vary from genetic factors to even being overweight.

Over the years scientists have conducted a number of research to identify the true causes that can cause type 1 diabetes. The recent findings in such studies is that type 1 condition can directly be linked to the protein that you get from drinking cow’s milk and is known as A1 beta-casein. As per the report, if there are sufficient genetic factors in an individual for type 1, drinking of cow’s milk can only trigger the condition.

Although there is no certain proof established in the statement, the connection between the protein and type 1 condition seems to be quite strong. Considering the conclusions of the above report, professors like Swinburn and Keith Woodford issued a statement which said that people who are exposed to the risk of developing type 1 disease due to the genetic factors should be identified during their very birth itself. They further add-on that half of these individuals should be kept on a diet that is devoid of the protein A1 beta-casein for a major part of their lives to establish and better understand the relationship.

The above relation that shows a positive and strong connection between the protein found in cow’s milk and type 1 diabetes condition is most clearly reflected in the growing cases of type 1 diabetes in the country of China. In the Shanghai region of China, the incidences of the disease is said to have been increased by 14.2 percent on an annual basis in between the years 1997 and 2011. Another region, Zhejiang saw an increase of 12 percent in the type 1 diabetes cases between the years 2007 and 2013. What makes the above findings all the more astonishing is the fact that the increase in type 1 diabetes cases corresponds to an increase in the total consumption of diary by the country. In fact, the per capita consumption of diary by China was just about 6 kilograms in the year 1992 which increased to 18 kg in the year 2006. This could be used as one of the strongest evidence which will establish a positive connection between type 1 diabetes and cow’s milk. However, you cannot be sure of such an occurrence and along with the protein, other causes to contribute to increasing type 1 cases could be various types of infections along with the low level of vitamin D in the patients.

Type 1 diabetes cases are on a rise today. Apart from those left undiagnosed till adulthood, every year around 78,000 new cases of the condition are reported. The Kiwis have been facing this disease ever since and it has become the single largest problems of their country today. In the light of the considerable spread of the condition, some solution needs to be found out and the researchers are trying hard for the same.

The researchers are also trying to find some or the other type of solution for this problem. One such solution which they suggest is for the dairy farms to produce milk that does not consist of A1 beta-casein. Having said that, this will not be an easy task and will take a minimum of 10 years. An alternate solution could be to drink milk from a sheep or a goat.

Read Also: Swine Flu: A Trigger for Type 1 Diabetes?

Further, to publish an article that showcases the issue of A1 beta-casein is quite challenging in its own respect. The a2 milk company that produces the A2 milk in New Zealand agreed to give some financial support while the authors, Swinburn and Keith Woodford were preparing to make the above research available to the public. A2 milk, unlike the A1, does not cause any known harm to the people who drink the same. In order to improve the reach of their research, the two publishers selected the platform of “The Conversation.” However, anticipating the financial and commercial advantage that a2 company would receive as a result of a study that links A1 beta-casein to type 1 diabetes, the editors at “The Conversation” refused to publish the same.

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• https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/98496496/report-blames-a1-betacasein-in-cows-milk-as-key-trigger-for-type-1-diabetes

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