SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Clinical Trials
“Effect of camel milk on thymus and activation-regulated chemokine in autistic children: double-blind study“, Shahid Bashir & Laila Y. Al-Ayadhi, Nature, December 27, 2013.
Conclusion: “CM (Camel Milk) administered for 2 wk significantly improved clinical measurements of autism severity and decreased serum level of TARC in autistic children, but subsequent studies are recommended.”
“Behavioral Benefits of Camel Milk in Subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder“, Laila Y Al-Ayadhi, Dost Muhammad Halepoto, Abdul M Al-Dress, Yasmine Mitwali, Rana Zainah, National Library of Medicine, NIH, November 2015.
Conclusion: “The present study demonstrates that camel milk could be very promising therapeutic intervention in ASD. Further wide scale studies are strongly recommended.”
“Effect of camel milk on glycemic control and insulin requirement in patients with type 1 diabetes: 2-years randomized controlled trial“, R P Agrawal, S Jain, S Shah, A Chopra & V Agarwal, Nature, June 2011.
Conclusion: It may be stated that camel milk is safe and efficacious in improving long-term glycemic control, with a significant reduction in the doses of insulin in type 1 diabetic patients.
“Effect of Camel Milk on Blood Sugar and Lipid Profile of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Clinical Trial“, Hanieh Sadat Ejtahed, Amir Niasari Naslaji, Parvin Mirmiran, Maryam Zraif Yeganeh, Mehdi Hedayati, Fereidoun Azizi, Aliakbar Moosavi Movahedi, National Library of Medicine, NIH, January 2015.
Conclusion: Camel milk increased insulin level in patients with T2DM and might contribute to glycemic control in T2DM.
“Hypoglycemic effect of camel milk powder in type 2 diabetic patients: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial“, Yajie Zheng, Fang Wu, Ming Zhang, Bing Fang, Liang Zhao, Lijie Dong, Xiaojuan Zhou, Shaoyang Ge, National Library of Medicine, NIH, June 2021.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the present work demonstrates that camel milk powder can also exhibited an antidiabetic activity in type 2 diabetic patients. After a 4‐week intervention with 10 g of camel milk powder twice a day, there was a decrease in fasting blood glucose and 2‐hr postprandial blood glucose, as well as serum content of total cholesterol. Meanwhile, supplement with camel milk powder also significantly decreased serum content of resistin and lipocalin‐2, adipokines which was reported to be positively associated with diabetes. Patients intervened with camel milk also exhibited a significant higher content of amylin and GLP‐1 than patients intervened with cow milk. These results in combination suggested that camel milk powder can be used as part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
“Cross-over clinical trial for evaluating the safety of camel’s milk intake in patients who are allergic to cow’s milk protein“, E.M. Navarrete-Rodríguez, L.A. Ríos-Villalobos, C.R. Alcocer-Arreguín, B.E. Del-Rio-Navarro, J.M. Del Rio-Chivardi, O.J. Saucedo-Ramírez, J.J.L. Sienra-Monge, R.V. Frias, Elsevier, October 2016.
Conclusion: Camel’s milk is safe and tolerable in patients above one year of age with CMPA and can be considered as a good alternative given the benefit of its taste compared to other formulas.
“Meta-analysis of the efficacy of camel milk consumption for improving autism symptoms in children in randomized clinical trials“, Mahmoud Kandeel, Mohamed A Morsy, Khalid M Al Khodair, Sameer Alhojaily, National Library of Medicine, NIH, September 2024.
Conclusion: Camel milk shows promise in improving social behaviors and certain biochemical markers in children with ASD, although the current meta-analysis did not document a significant statistical difference in CARS scores for the children studied. Future studies should focus on rigorous RCTs and larger sample sizes to substantiate these preliminary findings.
Scientific Journal Articles
“Camel Milk as a Potential Therapy as an Antioxidant in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)“, Laila Y Al-Ayadhi, Nadra Elyass Elamin, National Library of Medicine, NIH, August 2013.
Abstract: Extensive studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress plays a vital role in the pathology of several neurological diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD); those studies proposed that GSH and antioxidant enzymes have a pathophysiological role in autism. Furthermore, camel milk has emerged to have potential therapeutic effects in autism. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of camel milk consumption on oxidative stress biomarkers in autistic children, by measuring the plasma levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and myeloperoxidase before and 2 weeks after camel milk consumption, using the ELISA technique. All measured parameters exhibited significant increase after camel milk consumption (P < 0.5). These findings suggest that camel milk could play an important role in decreasing oxidative stress by alteration of antioxidant enzymes and nonenzymatic antioxidant molecules levels, as well as the improvement of autistic behaviour as demonstrated by the improved Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).
“Camel milk against autism – A preliminary report“, Renate Wernery, Sunitha Joseph, Bobby Johnson, Shibu Jose, ResearchGate, December 2012.
Abstract: The described trial substantiated the observation of physicians and parents, that after consuming pasteurised camel milk on a regular basis, a positive effect on impairments of various nature and proportions appeared to be apparent amongst a group of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptoms or related neurological pathogenesis. Fourteen days after the consumption of 500 ml of pasteurised camel milk, the probands exhibited regular bowel movements and five of eight probands developed a normal sleep pattern. The overall observation revealed also a decreased hyperactivity, increased alertness, better social interaction and many parents observed a newly expressed effort of their children to obey instructions. However, there was no difference in the level of P-casomorphin-7 excretion in the urine of probands and controls using a non-commercial ELISA kit. The reason for this unexpected result is explained.
“Camel Milk for Food Allergies in Children“, Yosef Shabo, Reuben Barzel, Mark Margoulis, Reuven Yagil, ResearchGate, January 2006.
Abstract: Food allergies in children are often very serious and can lead to anaphylactic reactions. Observations that camel milk ameliorates allergic reactions were noted over the years. The effect of camel milk is probably related to its special composition. To investigate the effect of camel milk in several children with severe food (mainly milk) allergies. We studied eight children with food allergies who did not benefit from conventional treatment. Their parents, or their physicians, decided to try camel milk as a last resort. The parents were advised by the authors – who have considerable experience with the use of camel milk – regarding how much and when the children should drink the milk. The parents reported daily on the progress of their children. All eight children in this study reacted well to the milk and recovered fully from their allergies. These encouraging results should be validated by large-scale clinical trials.
“Camel milk modulates the gut microbiota and has anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model of colitis“, Jing He, Kunjie Guo, Qi Chen, Yulin Wang, Jirimutu, Journal of Dairy Science, May 2022.
Abstract: Camel milk is a nutritionally rich food that shows anti-inflammatory, immune regulation, and gut microbiota maintenance properties. However, the relationship between camel milk and the intestinal microbiota during colitis is unclear. Herein, we evaluated the protective effect of camel milk in mice with colitis induced using dextran sodium sulfate. Our results showed that camel milk can prevent body weight loss and colon shortening, reduce the disease activity index, and attenuate colon tissue damage. Additionally, camel milk could reduce the overexpression of inflammatory factors, inhibit the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, and promote the expression of claudin-1, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 proteins. Moreover, camel milk effectively regulated intestinal microbiota in mice with colitis by increasing the gut microbiota diversity, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria (such as g_norank_f_Muribaculaceae, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group), and reducing the number of harmful bacteria (Bacteroides, Escherichia-Shigella). In addition, camel milk increased the levels of intestinal short-chain fatty acids. The results of the present study demonstrated that via regulating the intestinal microbiota, maintaining intestinal barrier function, and inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines, camel milk can ameliorate dextran sodium sulfate–induced colitis.
“Camel Milk Protein Ameliorates Ulcerative Colitis by Modulating Gut Microbiota and Amino Acid Metabolism“, Ning Kang, Zhexin Fan, Li Yang, Jie Shen, Yuechenfei Shen, Zhifeng Fang, Baokun Li, Bo Yang, Jiancheng Wang, Scilit, February 2025.
Abstract: The protective effects of the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) in alleviating inflammation have been reported. However, limited attention has been paid to the key fraction of milk fat globule membrane protein (MFGMP). This study investigated the protective effects of camel MFGMP against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. The results revealed that administering 50 mg/kg MFGMP significantly alleviated colonic inflammation, as evidenced by a marked decrease in IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels, along with pathological damage in DSS-induced mice with UC. MFGMP supplementation partially regulated gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice with UC by increasing α-diversity and the relative abundance of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, while decreasing the abundance of Akkermansia. Additionally, MFGMP treatment exhibited significant regulatory effects on metabolites, particularly amino acid metabolism, in the feces. Specifically, this treatment restored L-valine to normal physiological levels and increased the concentrations of L-leucine, L-lysine, and L-tyrosine to nearly twice their baseline levels, whereas the concentration of L-tryptophan increased threefold. These upregulated amino acids were negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and positively correlated with the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, as indicated by Spearman’s correlation analysis. Furthermore, the significant reduction in the mRNA expression levels of WNT-1, β-catenin, and Cyclin D1 suggests that MFGMP exerts a positive effect on UC via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These findings indicate that MFGMP exerts a protective effect against UC by modulating intestinal microbiota and amino acid metabolism in mice, with potential implications for treating intestinal inflammatory diseases.
“Camel Milk Has Beneficial Effects on Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review“, Parvin Mirmiran, Hanieh-Sadat Ejtahed, Pooneh Angoorani, Fariba Eslami, Fereidoun Azizi, National Library of Medicine, NIH, March 2017.
Abstract/Conclusion: In the current systematic review, the potentially positive effects of camel milk on diabetes mellitus were explored. Data available on experimental research and most of the human studies indicated that camel milk administration can have positive effects on glycemic control, by reducing fasting blood sugar, decreasing insulin resistance, and improving lipid profiles among patients with diabetes. In most studies, the recommended dose of camel milk was 500 mL/day which led to improvement of diabetes markers even after 3 months in patients with diabetes. Moreover, the superiority of camel milk, compared to cow milk was demonstrated in some human studies. Although the high amount of digestion resistant insulin and high level of antioxidants as anti-inflammatory factors are the possible explanation for anti-diabetic effect of camel milk in this review, however, more valid and comprehensive studies are needed to support these findings.
“The Antioxidant: Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Effects of Camel Milk“, Sepide Behrouz, Saeideh Saadat, Arghavan Memarzia, Hadi Sarir, Gert Folkerts, Mohammad Hossein Boskabady, Utrecht University, April 2022.
Abstract: Camel milk (CM) has been found to have several health benefits, including antiviral, antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-fungal, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic and anti-cancer activities. In addition, CM can counter signs of aging and may be a useful naturopathic treatment for autoimmune diseases. The composition of CM varies with geographic origin, feeding conditions, seasonal and physiological changes, genetics and camel health status. In the present review, we collate the diverse scientific literature studying antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of CM and its bioactive compounds. The databases Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched until the end of September 2021 using the keywords: camel milk, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of CM in various inflammatory disorders was consistently reported to be through modulating inflammatory cells and mediators. The common anti-inflammatory bioactive components of CM seem to be lactoferrin. The antioxidant effects of α-lactalbumin, β-caseins and vitamin C of CM work by reducing or inhibiting the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxide (NO), superoxide anions and peroxyl radicals, likely alleviating oxidative stress. Higher levels of protective proteins such as lysozyme, IgG and secretory IgA compared to cow’s milk, and insulin-like protein activity of CM on ß cells appear to be responsible for the immunomodulatory properties of CM. The evidence indicates that CM and its bioactive components has the potential to be a therapeutic value for diseases that are caused by inflammation, oxidative stress and/or immune-dysregulation.
“Invited review: Camel milk and gut health—Understanding digestibility and the effect on gut microbiota“, Abdelmoneim H. Ali, Siqi Li, Shao-Quan Liu, Ren-You Gan, Hua-Bin Li, Afaf Kamal-Eldin, Mutamed Ayyash, Journal of Dairy Science, May 2024.
Abstract: Camel milk (CM), known for its immune-regulatory, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antidiabetic properties, is a natural healthy food. It is easily digestible due to the high levels of β-casein and diverse secreted antibodies, exhibiting superior antibacterial and antiviral activities compared with bovine milk. β-casein is less allergic and more digestible because it is more susceptible to digestive hydrolysis in the gut; therefore, higher levels of β-casein make CM advantageous for human health. Furthermore, antibodies help the digestive system by destroying the antigens, which are then overwhelmed and digested by macrophages. The connection between the gut microbiota and human health has gained substantial research attention, as it offers potential benefits and supports disease treatment. The gut microbiota has a vital role in regulating the host’s health because it helps in several biological functions, such as protection against pathogens, immune function regulation, energy harvesting from digested foods, and reinforcement of digestive tract biochemical barriers. These functions could be affected by the changes in the gut microbiota profile, and gut microbiota differences are associated with several diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, irritable bowel disorder, mental illness, allergy, and obesity. This review focuses on the digestibility of CM components, particularly protein and fat, and their influence on gut microbiota modulation. Notably, the hypoallergenic properties and small fat globules of CM contribute to its enhanced digestibility. Considering the rapid digestion of its proteins under conditions simulating infant gastrointestinal digestion, CM exhibits promise as a potential alternative for infant formula preparation due to the high β-/αs-casein ratio and protective proteins, in addition to the absence of β-lactoglobulin.
“Etiology of Crohn’s disease and camel milk treatment“, Y. Shabo, R. Barzel, Reuven Yagil, ResearchGate, June 2008.
Abstract: The etiology of Crohn’s disease is presented with increasing evidence that a microbial infection is the basic cause of the disease. There is a striking resemblance between Crohn’s disease in humans, assumed to be an autoimmune disease, and Johne’s disease in cattle, the latter caused by an infection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Camel milk has powerful bactericidal properties and can rehabilitate the immune system. It was observed that drinking non-pasteurised camel milk is beneficial to people with ail the variety of symptoms associated with an infection of the alimentary canal.