Over the last 25 plus years research has found a potential link between consumption, in early infancy, of cow’s milk-based formulas and the development type 1 diabetes. While this research is still being explored, it makes me think twice about all the T1D’s out there and how their diagnosis, including mine spurred.
The Trial to Reduce Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus in the Genetically At Risk (TRIGR) researchers in Canada and Finland – now in their 11th year and running on 3 continents. It collects data on newborns from families with a parent or sibling with type 1. Trial ending in 2017.
The trial is exploring whether or to what degree and how delayed exposure to intact food protein (such as reg formula fed or foods with cow’s milk) can reduce the chances of developing type 1 diabetes later in life, suggested by Dr Dorsch, a cofounder of TRIGR.
A captured interview in 2009 with Dr Dorsch noted the type of formula (infant) does make a difference in terms of preventing the development of type 1 diabetes. “After 10 years of the follow-up, our TRIGR pilot study found clear and significant evidence that, in infants with type 1 diabetic relatives, extensively hydrolyzed formula prevents the emergence of autoimmunity.” Consensus being extensively hydrolyzed formula is best and if I can add, among many other voices, breastfeed milk is above all the best option for many reasons.
More recently similar, yet stronger, findings, published in late 2010, revealed the link between cow’s milk and type 1 diabetes. This New England Journal of Medicine double-blind, randomized study assigned genetically at-risk infants to receive either regular cow’s milk infant formula, or a casein hydrolysate formula, when breastmilk was not available in the first 6-8 months of life. Over the next ten years, the children were analyzed and the results were convincing. Children given hydrolyzed infant formula had a 50% lower risk of developing type 1 related autoantibodies by age 10.
The authors, among many other cutting-edge health professionals, suggest that the hydrolyzed formula reduces gut permeability, and has a beneficial effect on gut flora (Knip et al. 2010).
Overall, I am keen to see what conclusions are drawn come 2017. Gut permeability, caused by cow’s milk protein in early infancy or by other invaders like gluten throughout in life, is in it’s infancy regarding research. The value of elimination diets is evolving. I believe a a real food, low inflammation diet is the key to optimal health. This means eating a variety of vegetables, meats (organs too), fish, nuts/seeds, fruit and healthy fats is the foundation of vitality.
A few other points that I addressed while going over this material:
- nourish vitamin D levels, especially those of childbearing age or pregnant and infants/children. There are some points tabled that cow’s milk from casein A1 is better than A2, but data is not fully conclusive.
- 7% of people with type 1 diabetes has celiac disease (Narendran et al. 2005). In my practice and working with people with autoimmune disease, diets containing gluten are scrutinized
- Even more profound, data shows children with celiac disease and type 1 diabetes-related autoantibodies found after eating a gluten free diet for 2 years those antibodies gradually disappeared (Ventura et al. 2000). Avoiding gluten and aiding a weak digestive system can potentially prevent many type 1 diabetes diagnosis along with celiac disease, for that matter. Gluten containing grains are nonetheless not serving anyone nutritiously.
- Data proposes (Norris et al. (2003)) exposure to any cereals before 3 months of age (and also after 7 months), led to a higher risk of developing autoantibodies in genetically susceptible children. And while we watch television commercials touting “baby’s” first bite of Cheerios, Wahlberg et al. (2006) research shows the combination of early cow’s milk formula and late introduction of gluten increased the risk of autoimmunity in children.
Bottomline the first foods introduced in a baby’s diet and throughout childhood need to be REAL food. The food industry is literally killing us. And people surely don’t know any better; and it’s not their fault. Food corporations are not focused on our well being, they are focused on money, and during the process they find “health” recommendations that “sell” the public.
Related Topics:
Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease
Nutritional factors and worldwide incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes.
Early introduction of dairy products associated with increased risk of IDDM in Finnish children.
Early exposure to cows’ milk raises risk of diabetes in high risk children (Registration may be required to view full article.)
Cow’s milk exposure and type I diabetes mellitus. A critical overview of the clinical literature.
Cow’s milk diabetes evidence mounts.
Ischaemic heart disease, Type 1 diabetes, and cow milk A1 beta-casein.
