Leading nutritionist questions a2 Milk's health claims

Jared Lynch
September 10, 2014
The Age
Prominent nutritionist Rosemary Stanton says health claims from fast-growing dairy company a2 Milk are premature while some are just irresponsible.
Dr Stanton has criticised research from Curtin University in Perth that found a2 milk could be easier to digest than regular cow milk, which contains a blend of the A2 and A1 beta casein proteins.
The New Zealand company – which controls about 9 per cent of the Australian fresh milk market by value – funded the research, which the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published after a lengthy peer review process.
But Dr Stanton, who is a visiting fellow at University of NSW, said the Curtin study was too small to support a2’s claims.
“Out of the 36 people who completed it, there were only eight who claimed they ever had problems with milk,” Dr Stanton said.
“It seems really odd to me to then quote that 61 per cent said they had more bloating with the A1 milk than the A2. There is only eight people to start with so it doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
The Curtin researchers said the findings would need “confirmation with a larger study of participants with perceived intolerance of ordinary A1 beta-casein containing milk”.
The research came a month after bigger a2 rival, Lion, slapped new labels on its Pura products saying its milk “naturally contains” the A2 protein.
It was the latest shot fired in the milk wars, which began four years ago when the big supermarket chains began selling their private label milk for, effectively, $1 a litre.
Although consumers have welcomed the cheaper milk, it has eaten into the market share of branded dairy players, except a2, which sells at a higher premium because of its perceived health benefits.
The Curtin study found participants had slightly softer stools and less bloating and abdominal pain when they consumed A1 milk as opposed to A2 milk. Dr Stanton said the connection with softer stools was odd.
“Normally you would think that’s a good thing because usually people complain that milk causes constipation,”Dr Stanton said.
“So you would think that if it was going to have any effect it would be the A2 milk that would cause the softer stools but they are actually claiming that A1 milk does.”
A2 milk has also published on its website comments from Professor Boyd Swinburn, of the University of Auckland, who has linked the A1 protein to schizophrenia, autism, and diabetes.
“People may wish to reduce or remove A1 beta-casein from their diet or their children’s diet as a precautionary measure,” Professor Swinburn said.
“This may be particularly relevant for those individuals who have or are at risk of the diseases … type 1 diabetes, coronary heart disease, autism and schizophrenia. However, they should do so knowing that there is substantial uncertainty about the benefits of such an approach.”
Dr Stanton said such comments were irresponsible.
“It does inject a lot of fear talking about those things and you don’t think you should talk about them without evidence, frankly.
However, Dr Stanton said the gastrointestinal issues were worth investigating and bigger and more independent studies were needed.
“For example irritable bowel syndrome is highly correlated with stress and a few other things.”
A2’s nutrition manager Sonja Kukuljan said the Curtin trial was a “fact-finding mission” aimed at helping direct further research funding.
A2 Milk’s Australian chief executive Peter Nathan defended the study and also the use of Professor Swinburn’s comments on the company’s website, saying it was in the section for health professionals, not consumers.
“There isn’t anything that’s on the website that isn’t in the public domain,” said Mr Nathan, adding that the company was “definitely not making a health claim”.
“We are simply saying that this is a milk which many people have reported enables them to enjoy the benefit of dairy without the discomfort.”
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