variety of medical conditions in
children, including acne, asthma,
juvenile myopia, insulin
resistance, and type 1 diabetes.)There are also compounds in milk that
have a specific physiological function—
proteins and “peptides” (short amino acid
chains)—in the body of the intended recipient
(offspring). For instance, protein sequences
embedded in casein’s molecular structure are
released during the digestion process and send
a message from mother to young.
Casein exorphins, or casomorphins
(morphine-like substances derived from
casein), are one category of these milk-
derived protein fragments. Casomorphins are
able to cross the gut barrier in young
mammals (and in adults with increased gut
permeability) and bind to opioid receptors in
the enteric and central nervous systems.