Milk Is Transferring Genetic Information To Babies

This New Research On Milk Will Blow Your Mind

If you drink milk this paragraph from a recent research study is going to blow you away. This is  a synopsis of the research review "Exosomes of pasteurized milk: potential pathogens of Western diseases".

"Milk exosomes assist in growth-promoting and immunological information that all baby mammals need. However, epidemiological and translational evidence indicates that continuous exposure of humans to exosomes in pasteurized milk may confer a substantial risk for the development of chronic diseases of civilization including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, common cancers (prostate, breast, liver, B-cells), allergies as well as Parkinson’s disease. Exosomes of pasteurized milk may represent new pathogens that should not reach the human food chain."

What Are Exosomes

These are little vesicles (packets) released by cells and found in biological fluids such as blood, plasma, milk, urine, tears, seminal fluid, sweat and cerebrospinal fluid. These exosomes help cells communicate with each other and affect gene regulation, which helps with cellular function. It is also thought that the microbes in our gut release these little packets and may be a method of inter-species communication in the gut. Is this divine or what.  I have to tell you, I just love reading these research articles that relate the minute details that spirit has created that keep our whacky and amazing world working.

Milk Exosomes

The milk exosomes are released from mammary gland epithelial cells of all mammals which includes us humans as well as cows and goats whose milk is drank by many humans. They are released into the milk in a similar way as fat globules are released into milk.

Breast milk exosomes and their microRNA (mRNA) they carry are necessary for the appropriate maturation of the intestine, development of the gut microbiome, and programming of the gastro-intestinal associated lymphatic tissue (GALT), as well as thymic T cell differentiation. Obviously a deficiency of exosomes in milk substitutes used for babies could be the cause of metabolic and immune system fiascos that are more common nowadays.

Pasteurization has no significant effect on milk exosomes or exosomal miRNA bioavailability.  So they are in both raw and pasteurized milk.

Dairy Exosome Factoids From Research

• Human breast milk exosomes are necessary for infant health and development.
• Adult human exposure to exosomes  may have negative health effects on humans.
• Dairy milk exosomes of pasteurized commercial milk reach the systemic circulation and tissues of the human milk consumer. We know Cow exosomes are absorbed by humans as research has shown exosomal microRNA from the cows milk is found in the blood plasma 4-6 hours after drinking milk.
• Most dairy milk miRNAs  survive pasteurization and refrigerated storage but are significantly reduced after boiling or ultra-heat treatment (UHT).
• The cow exosomes have been found in human white blood cells called macrophages. Macrophages are white blood cells that attack and engulf anything the body sees as a threat to the body. Hmmm, does the body think these cow exosomes should be devoured and destroyed? Looks that way.
• It appears that fermentation of milk products may decrease exosomes as they are taken up by the bacteria for their own use.
• Consumption of raw cow milk during early infancy exhibited a preventive effect on the development of allergic diseases.
• Milk exosomes may have a direct affect on the gastro-intestinal associated lymphatic tissue homeostasis.
• Infant formula powder contains no bioactive exosomes. (This sounds like an accident waiting to happen since as mentioned above babies need the exosomes.)
• Exosomes from dairy milk appear to increase fat cell growth and enhance the risk of obesity.
• Milk exosomes and the microRNA they carry pass the blood–brain barrier and reach the brain.
• It appears that milk exosomes may maintain the state of a “hungry brain” through suppression of satiety signals.
• More than 5 servings of milk per week significantly increases the risk of prediabetes.
• Dairy milk exosomes promote insulin resistance in muscle and adipose tissue.
• A Swedish study found that high consumers of nonfermented milk (≥ 2.5 times/day) had a 32% increased liklihood for all-cause death compared with that of subjects who consumed milk ≤ 1 time/week. The same study found fermented milk intake and cheese intake were negatively associated with death.
• Whole milk intake was significantly associated with a higher risk of stroke per 200 g/day while the same study showed total fermented dairy intake (200 g/day) was associated with a 9% lower risk of stroke. (Bring on the yogurt!)
• High milk intake was associated with higher fracture incidence in Swedish women.
• In US men and women, 1 glass of milk per day was associated with an 8% lower risk of hip fracture. So, this study and the last one look contradictory. (What a brain strain!)
• There is evidence that exosomes and their miRNA packets play a crucial role in bone remodeling.
• Long-term exposure to milk exosome-derived miRNA-148a may favor creation of fat cells in the bone to the expense of osteogenesis. This creates osteoporosis.
• Accumulating evidence supports the view that persistent ingestion of pasteurized dairy milk and bioactive exosomal miRNAs after the skeletal growth period activate cells that break down bone  and impairs cells that build up bone.
• Milk exosomes preferentially accumulate in the brain.
• Milk exosomes may promote the spread of neurotoxic α-synuclein in the brain such as seen in models of Parkinson’s disease
• There is evidence that milk exosomes (and not fermented milk) via transfer of miR-148a and miR-155 may have a preventive effect on colorectal cancer.
• Dairy milk exosomes via transfer of oncogenic miRNAs and TGF-β may promote growth and prostate cancer progression in  those who ingest pasteurized whole milk but not fermented milk or milk protein preparation.
• Dairy milk exosomes appear to increase breast cancer  by increasing key cancer causing components involved in its pathogenesis.
• After ingestion, milk exosomes accumulate in the liver more so than some other organs. Milk exosomes may augment the tumorigenic effects of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus- induced upregulation of miR-148a and miR-155, respectively and lead to great liklihood of liver cancer.
• Genetic selection of high performance dairy cows with enhanced miR-148a expression and pregnancy-dependent estradiol production may be associated with an enrichment of miRNA-148a and miRNA-21 in milk exosomes enhancing the exposure of the human consumer of pasteurized milk to tumor causing miRNAs.