Skot didn't you inform us some time ago that you had your IGF-1 levels checked and that they were elevated following a diet high in protein/dairy?
Yeah that is right, but I was consuming
a lot of casein from pasteurized sources. I haven't had them checked since consuming little bits of raw dairy, most of which is fat. I do want to get these tested again.
But I agree with you on the account that dairy protein (casein) should probably be consumed in moderation. The fact that diary consumption (whole fat dairy consumption in particular -- where fat holds the bulk vitamin content) reduces certain instances of disease more or less indicates most people on the standard western diet have some sort of vitamin deficiency, not that dairy itself is particularly amazing (except for its ability to maybe correct some of these deficiencies).
Ideally, the best way to consume dairy (particularly dairy with significant protein content) would be to eat it in the form of high nutrient value artisan raw cheeses. Likely as a garnish to other meals, not as a primary protein / calorie source. If for whatever reason you can't stomach cheeses (ethically or allergy, etc), then making sure you are receiving sufficient K from other sources is important.
Here are how the K sources line up (I'm not quite clear on all of this just yet, but in the research K2 seems better than K1):
K1 - Plant sources (kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli)
K2 (MK4) - Animal products (meat, eggs, un-fermented dairy)
K2 (MK7) - Bacteria / Fermentation (cheese, vegetarian-natto / tempeh / tahini)
K2 seems superior to K1 because it is more strongly correlated to reduction of osteoporosis and CVD. MK7 seems superior to MK4, although getting K in a breadth of different formulations is probably best.
Intake of fermented soybeans, natto, is associated with reduced bone loss in postmenopausal women: Japanese Population-Based Osteoporosis (JPOS) Study.Usual dietary intake of fermented soybeans (Natto) is associated with bone mineral density in premenopausal women.Vitamin K2 (menatetrenone) induces iNOS in bovine vascular smooth muscle cells: no relationship between nitric oxide production and gamma-carboxylation.Vitamin K2 May Help Reduce Women's Risk of Coronary Heart DiseaseIn addition to the Rotterdam study I posted earlier.
For someone like you, who does not wish to consume meat or much dairy, you could get your K easily from natto / tempeh / tahini, small amounts of artisan raw cheeses (might be unnecessary), eggs, lots of leafy greens. The fermentation also appears to reduce the goitrogenic aspect of soy if that is something you are particularly worried about.
One interesting idea I've been throwing around is that people could have a K2 (MK7) deficiency due to use of anti-biotics, hormonal imbalances, and bad foods. We naturally produce MK7 in our intestines, many lifestyle factors disrupt the bacteria that does this. A K-deficit can even disrupt insulin function and might contribute to the obesity problem. So there may be more of a standard western diet / lifestyle damages ability to create MK7, and that is corrected by consumption of fermented foods. K2 is fat soluble.
Edited by Skötkonung, 07 June 2010 - 05:52 PM.