Bovine beta casein A1 variant as risk factor for human health

Abstract

Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt, butter and many others are for its rich source of protein and minerals important part of human nutrition. Milk protein is a source of peptides that are bioactive including: antibacterial activity, antihypertensive activity, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory (ACE-I) activity and opioid activity. The term “opioid” refers to chemical substances that have a morphine-like activity in the body. Some of them are known to play an important role in the response to stress and pain, and the control of food intake. The first pharmacological descriptions of milk-derived peptides were ß-casomorphins. Many studies show that ß-casomorphin-7 and other peptides have the possible effects up on the central nervous system, a certain relationship with the child sudden death syndrome, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease, insulin - dependent diabetes mellitus (DM-1), auto-immune conditions, autism, schizophrenia and postpartum psychosis.