I’ve been reading about the benefits of camel milk for some time. Recently I came across some research that has caught my attention.
Since ancient time, camel milk has been used as a healing agent for dozens of ailments. Today, many researchers are finding similar benefits: reducing insulin resistance and wound healing in diabetes, clearing toxins, healing hepatitis C infection, reducing high blood pressure and improving symptoms associated with autism. Camel milk is purported to be the milk closest to human milk in its chemical composition.
As many of you understand, my approach, using functional nutrition as a means to identify metabolic imbalances is applied to all symptoms, including seizures. Autism as a diagnosis is also a complex set of metabolic imbalances. So if Camel milk is effective for Autism, is it effective in improving seizure threshold?
Camel milk does contain many nutritional benefits. Compared to cows milk it has lower cholesterol, fat, sugars and higher minerals (sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc and magnesium, and vitamin C). It still contains lactose and casein, the enzyme and protein found in cows and goat milk. One study followed children for 3 years that had previously been allergic to cows milk but consumed camel milk. The study found that 80% of the children with a cows milk allergy were able to safely consume camel milk without any adverse reactions.
Camel milk has been explored in the autism research community for its antioxidant properties. Its ability to boost antioxidants (the body’s major antioxidant) may be therapetuic since oxidative stress has been demonstrated in much of the research contributing to autistic symptoms. In a study conducted in 2013, the research proposed:
The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of camel milk consumption on oxidative stress biomarkers in autistic children, by measuring the plasma levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and myeloperoxidase before and 2 weeks after camel milk consumption, using the ELISA technique.
Their results are even more exciting.
All measured parameters exhibited significant increase after camel milk consumption (). These findings suggest that camel milk could play an important role in decreasing oxidative stress by alteration of antioxidant enzymes and nonenzymatic antioxidant molecules levels, as well as the improvement of autistic behaviour as demonstrated by the improved Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).
In my work, establishing toxins, chemicals, infections and other pathogens as well as the body to detoxify is critical in identifying healing opportunities. Glutathione, SOD and Myeoloperoxidase are measured and often supported through supplementation. Can camel milk be a more natural beneficial alternative?
In a double blind study, camel milk was tested as a treatment with mice who experienced seizures because of poisoning. Even though this is animal based, the results are impressive:
Camel milk treatment showed significant seizure protection as observed by delayed seizure onset (P ≤ 0.001), decreased total duration of convulsions (P ≤ 0.001) and mortality rate (P ≤ 0.001) when compared with Group I.
You’ll find several blogged articles in my research database about research demonstrating that oxidative stress coincides with seizure activity. Reducing oxidative stress is a necessary piece of healing and may be found with the support of camel milk.
I am not clear on the levels of increase that occurs with camel milk compared to liposomal glutathione, per say. I’m also cautious with my community as most of my clientele is extremely sensitive to new foods, supplements, interventions. For women with catamenial seizures, estrogen does occur in camel milk and should be used cautiously. Regardless, the information that I’ve uncovered recently is compelling enough to explore recommending camel milk.
Sourcing the best quality camel milk is on the horizon.
Bringing much light,
Lynn
