Does Milk Really Do "A Body Good"?

In Issue Six of The Journal of Young Investigators, Science Journalist Jean Lee and Associate Editor Randy Wei present the article "Milk, Doing a Body Good?" in which they illustrate the pros and cons of milk and dairy product consumption. While Lee and Wei remain fairly unbiased on dairy's overall effects, they emphasize the importance of moderation with consumption of milk related products. They state in conclusion, "We have grown so comfortable consuming milk and eating milk products that many do not give a second thought to the possible positive and negative effects..." I have chosen to expand on the possible negative effects of milk and dairy products, such as lactose intolerance, diabetes, and cancer in humans.

Lactose Intolerance is an enzyme deficiency in the body or a food allergy to dairy products that is all too common all over the world. It produces symptoms such as painful bloating, gas, cramping and worse. In America, according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, "Lactose Intolerance is affecting approximately 95 percent of Asian Americans, 74 percent of Native Americans, 70 percent of African Americans, 53 percent of Mexican Americans, and 15 percent of Caucasians." Even Hippocrates, the father of medicine, insisted on milk-exclusion diets for curing ailments such as: weak and sickly babies, skin complaints, wheezing, and painful joints. In more modern days it is difficult for many to stay away from tempting foods like cheesecake, pizza and cookies. It may be easier to decide if it was widely known that the excess saturated fats skimmed from regular cow's milk are used to create the cheese and milk portions of these foods. Unfortunately there is no cure for lactose intolerance, but avoiding dairy products and lactose free foods such as these is a step in the right direction.

Diabetes is a disease of the blood sugar that has harmful lifelong effects on humans and it is often linked to milk consumption. If genetically predisposed, children run a higher risk of developing childhood Type-1 Diabetes when exposed to cow's milk soon after their birth. On the other hand, studies done on overweight adults who regularly consume dairy products have shown that they may aid in the prevention of Type-2 Diabetes. Research conducted by Harvard Medical School in 2002 produced very promising findings. In their study, those people who ate the highest volumes of dairy foods - equivalent to five servings a day - had a 72 percent less chance of developing insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) which is a precursor to diabetes. If genetically predisposed to diabetes, it is almost certainly wise to avoid dairy products as much as possible.

Several cancers, such as ovarian cancer, have been linked to the consumption of dairy products. When a woman lacks the natural enzymes necessary to properly break down the milk sugar lactose and its compounds, they may build up within the blood and negatively affect the ovaries. With women who have dangerously low levels of these enzymes, the risk of ovarian cancer is triple that of other women. Many dairy producers are using injections of what is called recumbent Bovine Growth Hormone (rGBH) to speed up milk production by as much as 20%. This is despite the fact that this hormone is harmful to the cows as it can cause udder inflammation, which can lead to contamination of the milk then passed on to consumers. This is how prostate and breast cancer have also been linked to dairy foods. Men with the highest levels of these compounds are four times as likely to develop prostate cancer. Ben and Jerry's, an popular ice cream company that publicly opposes the use of rGBH, recently filed a suit in Chicago, Illinois, where their company is prohibited from using any kind of label explaining that that they use only milk and cream from rBGH-free cows. It is unclear at this time exactly what the problem is with informing people about the products they consume.

Over consumption of dairy products can have lasting effects on the entire family, and contrary to popular belief, these foods are not necessary in the diet. To get the recommended daily calcium, nutrient-dense foods like green vegetables and grains, fruits, nutrient rich cereals and legumes are healthier replacements. While most problems occur when more than the recommended daily servings of 3 - 8 oz. glasses of milk/day is exceeded, it is important to remember that those predisposed to diseases like diabetes and cancer are at a greater risk than anyone.