Excessive anxiety is an affective disorder that can cause fear, uneasiness, dread, worry and other negative emotions in the absence of a specific trigger. Under normal circumstances, anxiety is a healthy reaction to psychological stress. In some cases, constituents in food, such as gluten and casein, may cause anxiety. In other cases, casein may actually calm anxiety.
Definitions
Gluten is an alcohol-soluble protein peptide found in wheat, rye and barley. It is made up of the proteins gliadin and glutelin and affects the elasticity and texture of baked goods. Casein is the primary protein found in both cow's milk and human milk. It contains essential amino acids, carbohydrates, calcium and phosphorus. Casein is also the portion of milk used to make cheese.
Celiac Disease
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the presence of gluten in the diet causes intestinal villi to atrophy and nutrient absorption to decrease. Gluten molecules that were modified by the body during the absorption process trigger this immune response. An article published in the September 2004 issue of "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics" stated that anxiety is characteristic of uncontrolled celiac disease and that the elimination of gluten from the diet reduces anxiety in affected patients.
Autism
Autism is a lifelong condition that is usually diagnosed in childhood. There is no cure for autism, so treatment is aimed at enhancing social development and reducing interfering behaviors. The elimination of both casein and gluten from the diet of a child afflicted with autism improves attention, sleep, hyperactivity and anxiety behaviors. Autistic individuals have intestinal membranes that are unusually permeable. Peptides from foods containing gluten and casein pass through this membrane and affect the central nervous system, producing autism-related behaviors.
Peptides in Casein
There may be some truth to the folk tale that warm milk can help you go to sleep. Alpha-casozepine is a tryptic peptide derived from bovine casein through hydrolysis. In several studies highlighted by an article published in the August 2001 issue of the "FASEB Journal," the casein hydrosylate was shown to produce an anti-anxiety effect in rats. The studies showed that, upon digestion, alpha-casozepine might exhibit effects similar to the psychoactive sedative drug benzodiazepine. Further research is necessary to draw more concrete conclusions.
References
- "Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics"; Psychological Support Counseling Improves Gluten-free Diet Compliance in Coeliac Patients with Affective Disorders; G. Addolorato, et all.; 2004
- "The FASEB Journal"; Characterization of Alpha-casozepine, a Tryptic peptide From Bovine Alpha-s1-casein with Benzodiazepine-like Activity; Laurent Miclo, et al.; 2001
- "Iranian Journal of Pediatrics"; Impact of Casein and Gluten Free Dietary Intervention on Selected Autistic Children; Peerkhan Nazni; 2008
