Hi Blackforest,Thanks for the link and a very Merry Christmas to...

Hi Blackforest,
Thanks for the link and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours. Looking at the abstract the initial hypothesis looks interesting as they added the variable of no lactose to the study comparing β-casein types (A1, A2 and lactose-free milk). I'd like to see the actual data and study design before agreeing with the results.

In most of the studies I have seen there are 2 components to each study that I think would make them more robust including:

1-Sample size. Randomization is good but increased sample size means more "statistical power" in the result. Subjects should be selected that are representative of the population you are studying. Its impossible to study the entire population of people who are affected by bovine β-casein types so the sample size must be large enough to infer that the results apply to the entire population. Larger sample sizes provide a higher statistically probability of making these inferences.

2-Quantification of the subjects. As these are studies of the effects of β-casein types on humans, its important to quantify or define the amount of variation in the results reported by the subjects. There is a method called an Attribute Agreement Analysis which quantifies both the variation within each subject as well as between the subjects. This helps define the "signal" vs. the "noise" of a study. How real is the effect and is it repeatable?

It is encouraging to see this abstract published and to see additional studies underway as I think the scientific aspect of the benefits of A2 milk will be important for many folks. Ultimately it all boils down to trying the product and seeing if it has a benefit to the individual. I don't react to milk the same way others do, I just like the taste of A2 over other plastic-tasting commercial brands available.