Camel milk cure all?

[knackers323]

I've been hearing of some big claims as to the effectiveness of camel milk for everything from autoimmune disease to autism.

Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[Kati]

Snake oil... Camel milk... See?


ETA... Deer Antlers. Shark gallbladders.

 

[knackers323]

Y

Snake oil... Camel milk... See?


ETA... Deer Antlers. Shark gallbladders.

Yeah probably but apparently there is some science to it

 

[alex3619]

Most of these strange notions have some science to them. It doesn't make them right. Snake oil for example has omega-3 fats. So many will benefit. Yet its not the panacea the nineteenth century quacks wanted us to believe it is.

Some science isn't enough. High quality science, replicated independently, is important for a reason. The stranger the claim, the better the science needs to be, at least up to a point.

I still think the cake goes to psychogenic theorists. Not only can they promote their own version of snake oil, but the very medical definitions they use are made up as well.

 

[knackers323]

Yep and that's why I asked if anyone has tried it

 

[stevesayshi]

Camel milk is kinda like colostrum. If you can tolerate type 1 casein, I imagine colostrum powder will be cheaper (it should be less than 1 % casein protein anyway).

So it's not a completely bogus claim.

 

[Hanna]

@knackers323 , perhaps @redrachel76 could answer your question. She tried the camel milk in the past and had some minor benefit with gut symptoms if I am right.
When I was in hospital after allergy to a bee-bite, I met two women who were having some success with it for psoriasis. They were drinking it and applying some topical cream too.

 

[fibrodude84]

I have heard about camel milk benefits but now we would need to fear the new sickness MERS. Its coming from camels.

 

[Undisclosed]

I did read an autism study which seemed to suggest that an intolerance to cow's milk causes autism and removal of cow's milk from the diet seems to clear symptoms. Camel's milk is different to cow's milk and therefore helpful to autism. The author goes as far to suggest to suggest that camel's milk cures autism but that is from anecdotal reports and unblinded, unrandomized research. Then I found a disclaimer regarding camel's milk re: 62 percent of autistic children react adversely to something in it, so it should be avoided. Who knows but the study has poor design and there isn't even any correlation shown because you can't state correlation from a study with such poor design.

I think any substance that is touted as a cure-all for many things needs to be regarded suspiciously. I tend to look at things in terms of specific symptom reduction -- can something help with pain, sleep, GI issues. Maybe the GI issues with camel's milk if you are lactose intolerant but at 18 dollars (quoted on one site) per pint, I would rather drink water.

 

[Hip]

One study on hepatitis B virus patients showed that camel milk is an immunomodulator which changes the immune system balance from the Th2 response to the Th1 response.† The Th1 response is desirable in ME/CFS.

Note that Dr Cheney says Th2 to Th1 immunomodulators should be taken using an on/off schedule, otherwise they soon stop working. That is to say, you need regular breaks from taking these immunomodulators, or else their benefits disappear.


Camel milk has been shown to reduce oxidative stress in autism.†


Camel milk contains interesting immunoglobulins which are ten times smaller than human immunoglobulins:

Camel Immunoglobulins

Camel milk also contains immunoglobulins (Igs) that are special in camels, including unique subclasses IgG2 and IgG3. The Igs are the same structure as human immunoglobulins but only one-tenth the size. Being so small, they can penetrate into tissues and organs to fight infection and aid repair, where human antibodies cannot.

Camel antibodies have superior antibacterial and antiviral properties. As stated in Dr. Reuven Yagil’s autoimmune paper, “conventional antibodies rarely show a complete neutralizing activity against enzyme antigens, but camel IgG has a full neutralizing activity against tetanus toxin as it enters the enzymes structure.” (9). Viruses can also be neutralized by knocking out their enzyme activity, and studies show the camel antibody is an effective inhibitor against hepatitis C enzyme system (10).

Source: Camel Milk: Healing or Hype?

For the UK, this website tells you where you can buy camel milk.

 

[Undisclosed]

Bottom of article re: Camel Milk: Healing or Hype?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – UPDATED 3/23/12

Autism research is a rapidly growing field. While many parents report great results with camel milk, recently new information has come to light about cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), a condition of below normal levels of folate in the central nervous system. Folate receptor protein alpha (FRA) transports folate in the central nervous system. Dr. Quadros who tested camel’s milk stated, “folate receptor alpha antigen is very similar to cow’s milk and the immunoreactivity with the folate receptor alpha is also similar.” In light of this new information, it appears for children who produce autoantibodies to the folate receptor alpha, camel milk would be contraindicated and should be avoided. Dr. Dan Rossignol has found these antibodies in 62% of children with ASD that he’s tested. Because it is so prevalent, Dr. Rossignol recommends all children with ASD be tested for FRA autoantibodies. You can learn more about testing from your doctor

 

[IreneF]

If I lived someplace where camels were common I might try it. But it seems to have a lot in common with various Amazonian wonderberries and extracts that come on strong and then fade away.

 

[Insomniac]

I tried raw camel milk.
It helped for about 6 months for my gut problems. After 6 months it stopped working. A friend without CFS also had gut problems improve for 6 months and then stop.

I also put on of weight with it, which is good for me b/c the severe IBS makes me thin.

It is a great source of vitamins +minerals if your gut is too bad to take conventional supplements. I suspect that is why it helped me.