Health Benefits of Drinking Milk
Posted on March 21st, 2006 by garyPosted in Health, Winter Shape Up 2006
If you are like most you were concerned and confused when you picked up a jug of milk the last time you went shopping. There are the container was a little note indicating the contents have “no added hormones”. But then you say a disclaimer which states the government has determined that milk from cows that have been injected with added hormones does not adversely affect human health.
But not all milk containers have this disclaimer which makes you curious- do jugs that don’t have these labels have added hormones? What do the phrases “organic”, “select” and “original” mean? Do other dairy products have such labels? Should they?
Over ten years ago, the US government approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormones (rBGH) in dairy cows. This is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring bovine growth hormones. Dairy products from cows treated with this are now available in many products in the United States. Many medical associates such as the American Medical Association have stated that milk and meat from rBGH-treated cows is safe for human consumption.
Many however are wary of this hormone. Other governments have blocked the use of sale of the rBGH. Some scientists, physicians and natural food advocates believe products from rBGH treated cows are less healthy than from untreated cows and may lead to serious health problems.
The Federal Drug Administration stands behind their approval of the use of rBGH. The artificial hormone when manufactured is modeled after a hormone that is naturally produced in the pituitary gland of cattle. Experts indicate it is virtually indistinguishable from natural BGH. It also benefits farmers by boosting milk production in dairy cows.
Critics still worry that the potential health risks present a danger to uninformed consumers. There are some key concerns that surround the use of this product. It is important to take a look at these concerns and see what medical research has shown about them.
Concern #1- Does drinking rBGH-treated milk cause early puberty in children?
How this concern was raised- A 1997 study in Pediatrics magazine suggested that American girls were developing secondary sexual characteristics at earlier ages. Some researches attempted to explain this by linking hormones in milk as a contributing factor.
Research shows: Cows injected with rBGH do have higher hormone levels than untreated cows. But the total level of hormones in a glass of milk from r-BGH treated cows is no greater than the levels in a glass of rBGH-free milk. Hormones do survive the pasteurization process. So when drinking milk a person will get some BGH or RBGH. But despite the similarity between bovine growth hormones and human growth hormones, there is no medical evidence to suggest consuming cow hormones will promote human development. BGH and RBGH are essentially destroyed when they enter the human digestive system. They are broken down into amino acids before being absorbed into the bloodstream. And in that form they are the same as amino acids from protein rich foods.
There is no scientific evidence or medical studies which link rBGH to early-onset of puberty.
What Critics Say: There are no enough studies done, therefore it is too soon to say that rBGH is safe.
Concern #2: Are germs or antibiotics more prevalent in milk from cows treated with rBGH?
How this concern was raised: Cows treated with rBGH are more vulnerable to infection and illness. They lactate longer than untreated cows. The FDA approved labels for Prosilac warns that cows injected with the product are at an increased risk of clinical mastitis (an infection of the udder that can produce visibly abnormal milk) and may require more frequent medication to treat health problems. Farmers treat cows with antibiotics so some scientists worry that increased use of antibiotics may contribute to development of new strains of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Consumers fear germs and antibiotics in sick cows will make their way into milk products.
Research Shows: There was a 1998 study by the Canadian Veterinary Medicine Association on the use of rBGH. They did conclude that there were several legitimate animal welfare concerns associated with such injections. Examples included the use of rBGH increased the incidence of clinical lameness (loss of function in one or more limbs) by 50 percent and the increase of mastitis by 25 percent. However, there are plenty of safeguards in place to make sure germs and antibiotics to not make there way into milk. Pasteurization is used to kill the pathogens (even antibiotic resistant ones) in milk. When animals are sick, they are quarantined. Holding tanks with possible infected milk are drained, the fluid is discarded and containers are sanitized. Even if any antibiotic made its way into the milk supply the concentration would be extremely diluted by the time it reached a consumers plate.
Research is still being done. There is still a lot we do not know. Only time will tell if there is any link between r BGH and health problems. A concerned consumer can take some steps to limit exposure to the hormone: Select rBGH-Free products; go organic; shop by mail where many dairies who avoid use of rBGH; or visit a specialty shop where there are many products imported from countries that do not use rBGH.
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