Post by J & M Chambers on Feb 15, 2011 22:25:23 GMT -5
Reject the Null or Color me Juberous
The possible health benefits or possible absence of exacerbating influences of A2 versus A1 milk are obviously of paramount interest to those suffering with or with family members suffering with life threatening conditions or debilitating and limiting illnesses.
A2 versus A1 is also of great interest to the dairy minded from large commercial dairies to homesteaders with a single cow.
From a public health standpoint the relative simplicity, (in comparison to other public health issues), of the hypothesized A1 v. A2 “cause” to the solution to some, or a portion of some, vexing health issues is supremely compelling.
Confound this simple and compelling argument, with a corporation that has a vested interest in the rejection of the null hypothesis; and the overwhelming majority of the published literature indicating support for rejecting the null is thus far from persons or entities that are members of or associated with said corporation… Well I start getting that “juberous” feeling in my joints.
My agnosticism is not opposition. I do hope strongly that there is something to this A2 phenomenon. I do surely hope that those suffering from illness which A2/A2 milk is hypothesized to eliminate or lessen can find health. I have for many years and continue to admire the Guernsey breed, recalling the two Goldies my grandfather had for his clan of 10; and they are a commercial dairy breed which could potentially benefit greatly from rejection of the null. The Guernsey breed is reportedly 96% A2/A2. I think for the small scale and homestead dairy market the Dexter breed may also benefit from rejecting the null.
But back to that juberous feeling, every study I have seen which makes the claim that there are health benefits to drinking A2/A2 milk vs. A1/A2 or A1/A1 is of the ecological type, (there is one with rabbits conducted by familiars of the A2 group and also critiqued harshly in the literature ). Epidemiology studies, particularly ecological studies, do not show or prove cause and effect relationships; they are for studying and identification of possible causes and making inferences about possible causes. Thus, we have the current issue, epidemiological studies (some of which are questioned severely in the literature) have indicated an association between countries with differing proportions of the dairy herds that are of A2/A2 v. A1/A2 or A1/A1 and health conditions. There is also an association between ice cream sales and criminal activity. Yes, ice cream causes crime, and you should also be getting that juberous feeling… I am not aware at this time in the literature any double-blind, randomized clinical trials of the A1 v. A2 hypothesis in human populations which reject the null and confirm a causal relationship between A2 milk and better health outcomes or anything close to that. The few, limited trials that have been conducted on various health outcomes do not reject the null.
Anyway, all a long winded way of saying, for my own information I’ve put together some of the literature on this question to help better inform myself and thought others might be interested. The link to the citations with abstracts or public links to the full documents when available are located on our website at www.silvermapledexters.com/ under the SMD Resources tab and the A1 A2 Milk Protein Study References
Of particular note, Jeff Newswanger, a fellow dexter owner has a nice article on his blog on the A2 question and dexters if you have not already seen it, hoperefugefarm.com/archives/243. I would also recommend the the M. Cattel presentation at this link: www.nodpa.com/a1_a2.pdf and the note from World Guernsey Secretary Bill Luff A2 – A Dilemma for the Guernsey Breed.
On a related note I would be very interested in hearing from people or those you know of who have switched from an unknown A1 - A2 milk source to a known A2 source, with improvement in some health outcome, and in which that switch in source did not also involve a switch from pasteurized to raw milk.
Hope for the best with A2 and health outcomes!
Jeff
The possible health benefits or possible absence of exacerbating influences of A2 versus A1 milk are obviously of paramount interest to those suffering with or with family members suffering with life threatening conditions or debilitating and limiting illnesses.
A2 versus A1 is also of great interest to the dairy minded from large commercial dairies to homesteaders with a single cow.
From a public health standpoint the relative simplicity, (in comparison to other public health issues), of the hypothesized A1 v. A2 “cause” to the solution to some, or a portion of some, vexing health issues is supremely compelling.
Confound this simple and compelling argument, with a corporation that has a vested interest in the rejection of the null hypothesis; and the overwhelming majority of the published literature indicating support for rejecting the null is thus far from persons or entities that are members of or associated with said corporation… Well I start getting that “juberous” feeling in my joints.
My agnosticism is not opposition. I do hope strongly that there is something to this A2 phenomenon. I do surely hope that those suffering from illness which A2/A2 milk is hypothesized to eliminate or lessen can find health. I have for many years and continue to admire the Guernsey breed, recalling the two Goldies my grandfather had for his clan of 10; and they are a commercial dairy breed which could potentially benefit greatly from rejection of the null. The Guernsey breed is reportedly 96% A2/A2. I think for the small scale and homestead dairy market the Dexter breed may also benefit from rejecting the null.
But back to that juberous feeling, every study I have seen which makes the claim that there are health benefits to drinking A2/A2 milk vs. A1/A2 or A1/A1 is of the ecological type, (there is one with rabbits conducted by familiars of the A2 group and also critiqued harshly in the literature ). Epidemiology studies, particularly ecological studies, do not show or prove cause and effect relationships; they are for studying and identification of possible causes and making inferences about possible causes. Thus, we have the current issue, epidemiological studies (some of which are questioned severely in the literature) have indicated an association between countries with differing proportions of the dairy herds that are of A2/A2 v. A1/A2 or A1/A1 and health conditions. There is also an association between ice cream sales and criminal activity. Yes, ice cream causes crime, and you should also be getting that juberous feeling… I am not aware at this time in the literature any double-blind, randomized clinical trials of the A1 v. A2 hypothesis in human populations which reject the null and confirm a causal relationship between A2 milk and better health outcomes or anything close to that. The few, limited trials that have been conducted on various health outcomes do not reject the null.
Anyway, all a long winded way of saying, for my own information I’ve put together some of the literature on this question to help better inform myself and thought others might be interested. The link to the citations with abstracts or public links to the full documents when available are located on our website at www.silvermapledexters.com/ under the SMD Resources tab and the A1 A2 Milk Protein Study References
Of particular note, Jeff Newswanger, a fellow dexter owner has a nice article on his blog on the A2 question and dexters if you have not already seen it, hoperefugefarm.com/archives/243. I would also recommend the the M. Cattel presentation at this link: www.nodpa.com/a1_a2.pdf and the note from World Guernsey Secretary Bill Luff A2 – A Dilemma for the Guernsey Breed.
On a related note I would be very interested in hearing from people or those you know of who have switched from an unknown A1 - A2 milk source to a known A2 source, with improvement in some health outcome, and in which that switch in source did not also involve a switch from pasteurized to raw milk.
Hope for the best with A2 and health outcomes!
Jeff
How's things?
Things're great. Getting rid of 7 more cattle, down to 4, just sold 30 sheep, keeping 9, house is almost finished (crown moulding and some concrete work and it's done), still working, looking to subdivide off 5 acres from the 40, build another house and maybe do koi to keep busy. I figure at 70 I don't need the land base or the equity, much more fun to have the $$ and travel. (Is this another hijack?) 
