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  • From: su do <speakingbeareturns@yahoo.com>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Milk in the news
  • Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 07:18:54 -0700 (PDT)

WalMart Bans rBGH Tainted Milk
by Leigh Kirk ???(NaturalNews) Most Americans drink
conventional, non-organic milk from cows that have
been treated with artificial growth hormone, but this
more and more has been changing. WalMart is the latest
in a string of large retailers to recognize consumer
demand for milk from cows not treated with recombinant
bovine growth hormone (rBGH). On March 21st, the
retail giant announced that its own store brand milk,
Great Value, will now come from dairies that have
pledged not to use rBGH. In addition, Sam's Club will
begin offering milk choices from cows not treated with
the hormone.??This move follows suit from other well
known retailers. For example, Safeway Inc. changed its
store brand milk to non-rBGH milk. Kroger grocery
store chains went one step further and decided last
month to sell milk only from untreated cows. Since the
beginning of 2008, Starbucks has been exclusively
using non-rBGH milk.??Despite these positive changes
by major retailers, conventional, non-organic milk in
this country still comes from cows treated with rBGH,
also called recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST).
This is a genetically engineered hormone designed to
increase a cow's milk production, maximize resources,
and earn larger profits for dairies.??The U.S. Food
and Drug Administration approved the use of rBGH in
1993. Despite FDA approval of rBGH, this hormone has
been the subject of substantial independent scientific
studies that conclude it does pose a serious risk to
human health. Other studies contradict these findings;
however they tend to be produced by the industries
that benefit from the use of rBGH.??rBGH – Health
Dangers??Independent scientists have studied the
effects of rBGH on health. According to Samuel S.
Epstein, M.D., author of the book, "What's in Your
Milk" and of several internationally recognized
scientific journal articles on rBGH, use of this
hormone is a serious potential risk factor for
cancer.??Milk from cows treated with rBGH contains
significantly higher levels of a hormone called
insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Experiments have
shown that at higher than normal biological levels,
IGF-1 is linked to cancer in humans, particularly
cancers of the breast and prostrate, but also
others.??IGF-1 is similar in structure to insulin. It
stimulates cell division and plays an important role
in childhood growth. It also inhibits orderly
programmed cell death. IGF-1 is naturally present in
milk and in the human body; however, IGF-1 in milk
from rBGH treated cows may have up to 20 times the
normal levels of IGF-1. Furthermore, there is evidence
that the IGF-1 found in milk as a result of rBGH use
is a more truncated form which may be up to 40 times
more potent than naturally occurring IGF-1, and it can
wreak havoc on our cellular signaling systems. IGF-1
simply doesn't belong in our bodies at such high,
potent levels.??IGF-1 can either be in free form in
plasma or bound in an inactive form to carrier
proteins. The heat of pasteurization can free IGF-1
from these carrier proteins, hence raising levels of
IGF-1 even higher.??Infants and children may be even
more susceptible to the harmful effects of high levels
of IGF-1 because intake of higher levels of IGF-1 in
milk results in a higher concentration given their
smaller blood plasma volume. Some scientists have even
suggested that future cancers could be "seeded" in
youngsters exposed to high levels of IGF-1 in hormone
treated milk.??The Case Against IGF-1??Over the past
two decades, there has been much evidence from
independent lab experiments that IGF-1 can initiate or
promote cancer in the cell. In 1992, the New England
Journal of Medicine acknowledged that the class of
hormones to which IGF-1 belongs is one of the factors
responsible for normal breast tissue developing into
cancerous tissue.??There is evidence that certain
cancer cells can attract and bind IGF-1. As such, high
levels of IGF-1 have been shown to stimulate the
growth of these cancer cells.??Furthermore, many
population studies corroborate that higher than normal
blood levels of IGF-1 are related to an increased risk
of breast, prostrate, and colon cancers.??Failure of
the FDA??The commercial use of rBGH was approved by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1993. Since
then, accumulating scientific evidence has been enough
for other governments to prohibit the use of rBGH,
including Canada, the European Union, Japan, and
others. Unfortunately, the FDA has not followed suit.
To date, the use of rBGH is still permitted in the
United States.??Don't Be Fooled??Recombinant bovine
growth hormone is designed to increase the yield of
milk from each cow and thus increase efficiency and
profitability of dairy producers' operations. Some
industries that profit from the use of this hormone
are found to make misleading statements about the
safety of rBGH.??"IGF-1 is naturally occurring
anyway."??Yes, IGF-1 is naturally occurring, but
naturally occurring IGF-1 is found in significantly
lower quantities than are found in milk from rBGH
treated cows. In addition, the IGF-1 in milk from rBGH
treated cows is found to be a more bioactive
form.??"IGF-1 in milk cannot be absorbed by the human
gut."??Not true. In both humans and rats, studies have
shown that many proteins, including IGF-1, are
absorbed intact into the blood stream. Furthermore, an
infant's gut is more permeable to these
proteins.??"IGF-1 from cows doesn't have the same
effect as human IGF-1".??Nope. IGF-1 is a protein
hormone that is made up of a particular sequence of
amino acid building blocks. The amino acid sequences
of these proteins are identical. As such, IGF-1 from
treated milk can fully interact with and affect human
cells.??Prevent Cruelty to Animals??The same
governments that have banned the use of rBGH for its
negative human health risks have also banned it for
the negative health effects it has on the cows. For
one, the use of rBGH causes cows to suffer from over
stretched udders which easily become infected. Their
common infections lead to use of higher levels of
antibiotics.??Milk Sources??Not all conventional,
non-organic milk is from cows that have been treated
with rBGH. A number of large and small conventional
dairies do not use rBGH or milk from cows treated with
rBGH. Therefore, it is important to know the dairy. If
in doubt, contact your preferred milk or dairy brand
by phone or email to ask about their stance on rBGH.
Organic milk and dairy products are not allowed to
come from cows that have been treated with rBGH.??Some
dairies label their products free of milk from
rBGH/rBST treated cows, but are forced to add the
statement that there is no known difference between
milk from treated and untreated cows. We know this not
to be true from many independent studies published in
peer reviewed scientific journals. The evidence has
been mounting, and it's getting more difficult for the
government to deny it. Businesses that benefit from
the use of growth hormone have lobbied the FDA for
labeling protection, which resulted in the current
labeling requirement.??Final Choice??Unlike other
industrialized countries, our FDA has not protected us
from the health risks of rBGH. We are left with no
choice but to protect ourselves.??Fortunately,
consumers are increasingly choosing to protect their
health. WalMart's latest announcement is indicative of
this trend. In the face of mounting evidence of the
dangerous health risks of rBGH, WalMart's announcement
to change their store brand milk, Great Value, to
rBGH-free is an important stand against the use of
this hormone.??Share this information with others you
know who may be buying conventional dairy. One out of
every 2.5 Americans ends up with cancer. Removing rBGH
milk from our diet removes one more risk factor.??For
more information about the results of independent
scientific studies assessing the health risks of rBGH,
visit the Cancer Prevention Coalition Web site at
(www.preventcancer.com) .
About the author
Leigh Kirk is an investigative nutritionist currently
pursuing her Master of Science in Human Nutrition at
the University of Bridgeport. Special interests
include disorders of metabolism, research on fats,
antioxidants, trace minerals, and the ecology of
nutrition. Email: investigativenutritionist@...





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