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Published on: May 31, 2016
beta-casein A1, ischaemic heart disease mortality, and other illnesses
1A2 Corporation Ltd, 29 Summer Street, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand. mclachln@ihug.co.nz
Insights
High consumption of beta-casein A1, a milk protein, strongly correlates with increased rates of ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality. This finding suggests beta-casein A1 may be a significant cardiovascular disease risk factor, potentially linked to type 1 diabetes as well.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular epidemiology
- Nutritional science
- Public health
Background:
- Traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease show limited correlation with coronary heart disease mortality rates across different regions.
- Regional variations in cardiovascular disease mortality persist despite similar 'traditional' risk factor profiles in some populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between beta-casein A1 consumption and ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality.
- To explore potential shared risk factors for IHD and type 1 diabetes.
Main Methods:
- Calculated beta-casein A1 consumption (excluding cheese) and correlated it with IHD mortality rates across regions.
- Compared IHD mortality and beta-casein A1 consumption in former West German states with stable cattle breed composition.
- Examined population groups with similar traditional risk factors but differing IHD mortality rates.
Main Results:
- A strong correlation (r2 = 0.86) was found between calculated beta-casein A1 consumption and IHD mortality.
- Regional IHD mortality in former West Germany correlated with estimated beta-casein A1 consumption.
- Populations with similar traditional risk factors exhibited significant differences in IHD mortality, linked to beta-casein A1 intake variations.
- Beta-casein A1 consumption also strongly correlated with type 1 diabetes incidence in children.
Conclusions:
- Beta-casein A1 consumption is a significant potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease, warranting further investigation.
- Regional variations in cardiovascular disease mortality may be influenced by beta-casein A1 intake.
- Ischemic heart disease and type 1 diabetes may share beta-casein A1 as a common causative risk factor.
Abstract:
The risk factors identified with cardiovascular disease studied in the WHO MONICA project have been shown to have a limited relationship with the coronary heart disease mortality rates between centres, and in mirroring the historical rise and decline in deaths from the disease. Here we show that correlation of the calculated consumption of the milk protein, beta-casein A1 (excluding milk protein in cheese) against ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality has a r2 = 0.86. In the states of the former West Germany, where the breed composition of regional cattle herds has remained virtually constant since the 1950s, IHD mortality by state correlates with the estimated consumption of beta-casein A1. Information on other recognized dietary risk factors does not indicate any significant regional difference. Similarly, the populations of Toulouse in France and Belfast in Northern Ireland have almost identical collective 'traditional' risk factors for heart disease, yet the respective mortality rates vary more than threefold. People from Northern Ireland are estimated to consume 3.23 times more beta-casein A1, excluding cheese, than the French. The remarkable agreement between mortality and the consumption of this allele suggests that this factor is worthy of serious consideration as a potential source of cardiovascular disease when taken in conjunction with regional variations in the traditional risk factors. beta-casein A1 consumption also correlates strongly with type 1 diabetes incidence in 0-14-year-olds, suggesting that IHD and diabetes may share at least one causative risk factor.
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