12 Frightening Facts About Milk
Food Hazards in Animal Flesh and By-products from All-Creatures.org Vegan Health Articles
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There is a wealth of indirect
evidence of very serious possible harms of consuming dairy foods, and, on
the flip side, the evidence that milk prevents fractures is scant.

A large observational cohort study[1] in Sweden found that women
consuming more than 3 glasses of milk a day had almost twice the mortality
over 20 years compared to those women consuming less than one glass a day.
In addition, the high milk-drinkers did not have improved bone health. In
fact, they had more fractures, particularly hip fractures.
Interestingly, the study also found that fermented milk products (cheese and
yogurt) significantly decreased mortality and fractures among these women.
For each serving of these fermented dairy products, the rate of mortality
and hip fractures was reduced by 10-15%. The researchers pin the negative
effects of liquid milk on D-galactose, a breakdown product of lactose that
has been shown to be pro-inflammatory. Milk has much more D-galactose than
does cheese or yogurt.
I am surprised that this study garnered so much mass media attention upon
its release, as it highlights the deleterious side of milk, but I also think
it is important to keep the findings in context. And when it comes to the
health effects of dairy, the context is not so pretty:
- In observational studies both across countries and within single
populations, higher dairy intake has been linked to increased risk of
prostate cancer [2].
- Observational cohort studies have shown higher dairy intake is linked to
higher ovarian cancer risk[2].
- Cow’s milk protein may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes through a
process called molecular mimicry[3].
- Across countries, populations that consume more dairy have higher rates of
multiple sclerosis[4].
- In interventional animal experiments and human studies, dairy protein has
been shown to increase IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) levels.
Increased levels of IGF-1 has now been implicated in several cancers[5].
- In interventional animal experiments[6] and human experiments[7], dairy
protein has been shown to promote increased cholesterol levels (in the human
studies and animal studies) and atherosclerosis (in the animal studies).
- The primary milk protein (casein) promotes cancer initiated by a carcinogen
in experimental animal studies[8].
- D-galactose has been found to be pro-inflammatory and actually is given to
create animal models of aging[1].
- Higher milk intake is linked to acne[9].
- Milk intake has been implicated in constipation[10] and ear infections [2].
- Milk is perhaps the most common self-reported food allergen in the
world[11].
- Much of the world’s population cannot adequately digest milk due to lactose
intolerance.
So despite being very pleased that the public is glimpsing some of the
evidence against milk in this recent study (though they also could be
hearing about the benefits of cheese and yogurt from this same study), I
think there is a far more powerful story; a story that takes into account
the largely hidden context of diet and dairy research. There is a wealth of
indirect evidence of very serious possible harms of consuming dairy foods,
and, on the flip side, the evidence that milk prevents fractures is scant.
As we look beyond the headlines, it is hard to think that we should
continue to consume the lactation fluid that exists in nature to nourish and
rapidly grow calves.
References
- Michaelsson K, Wolk A, Langenskiold S, et al. Milk intake and risk
of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies. Bmj
2014;349:g6015.
- Lanou AJ. Should dairy be recommended as part of a healthy
vegetarian diet? Counterpoint. The American journal of clinical
nutrition 2009;89:1638S-42S.
- Dahl-Jorgensen K, Joner G, Hanssen KF. Relationship between cows’
milk consumption and incidence of IDDM in childhood. Diabetes Care
1991;14:1081-3.
- Malosse D, Perron H, Sasco A, Seigneurin JM. Correlation between
milk and dairy product consumption and multiple sclerosis prevalence: a
worldwide study. Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304-12.
- Key TJ. Diet, insulin-like growth factor-1 and cancer risk. Proc
Nutr Soc 2011:1-4.
- Kritchevsky D. Dietary protein, cholesterol and atherosclerosis: a
review of the early history. The Journal of nutrition 1995;125:589S-93S.
- Gardner CD, Messina M, Kiazand A, Morris JL, Franke AA. Effect of
two types of soy milk and dairy milk on plasma lipids in
hypercholesterolemic adults: a randomized trial. Journal of the American
College of Nutrition 2007;26:669-77.
- Youngman LD, Campbell TC. Inhibition of aflatoxin B1-induced
gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase positive (GGT+) hepatic preneoplastic foci
and tumors by low protein diets: evidence that altered GGT+ foci
indicate neoplastic potential. Carcinogenesis 1992;13:1607-13.
- Spencer EH, Ferdowsian HR, Barnard ND. Diet and acne: a review of
the evidence. Int J Dermatol 2009;48:339-47.
- Caffarelli C, Baldi F, Bendandi B, Calzone L, Marani M, Pasquinelli
P. Cow’s milk protein allergy in children: a practical guide. Italian
journal of pediatrics 2010;36:5.
- Rona RJ, Keil T, Summers C, et al. The prevalence of food allergy: a
meta-analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007;120:638-46.
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