Dairy Consumption and Health Risks

A White Paper for General Practitioners about the Health Risks Associated with
Dairy Consumption

September 2017 Courteney Clark

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 Abstract
In the 19th century, Americans viewed milk as a primary food source to keep children healthy.
This belief has survived through generations and now milk is one of the most popular staple
foods in the United States. Today, the American culture promotes health benefits from
consuming milk and other dairy products; however, little effort has been made to inform the
general public about adverse health effects associated with it. Negligence to inform patients
about the health risks associated with dairy has resulted in misconceptions about dairy. The
purpose of this white paper is to inform general practitioners about the health risks associated
with dairy products. This white paper will closely examine the correlation between dairy
products and contaminants, steroids, and hormones found in milk. It will also provide research
about dairy in relation to illnesses, including lactose intolerance, cancer, and bone health.

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 Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 4
STEROIDS, HORMONES, AND CONTAMINATES .............................................................................. 4
STEROIDS AND HORMONES.......................................................................................................................... 4
CONTAMINATES ........................................................................................................................................... 4

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE ...................................................................................................................... 5

HOW LACTOSE INTOLERANCE DEVELOPS .................................................................................................... 5
COMMONLY AFFECTED GROUPS ................................................................................................................... 5
LACTOSE INTOLERANCE BY COUNTRY MAP ............................................................................................... 6
DERMATOLOGICAL HEALTH............................................................................................................... 6
CANCER ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
PROSTATE CANCER ..................................................................................................................................... 6
OVARIAN CANCER....................................................................................................................................... 7
BREAST CANCER ......................................................................................................................................... 7
BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS GRAPH .......................................................................................................... 7
BONE HEALTH ........................................................................................................................................... 8
FRACTURES GRAPH ..................................................................................................................................... 8
REDUCING RISKS WITH EDUCATION ................................................................................................ 9
LACTOSE INTOLERANCE AWARENESS ......................................................................................................... 9
CANCER PREVENTION ................................................................................................................................. 9
IMPROVING BONE HEALTH .......................................................................................................................... 9
DAIRY SUBSTITUTIONS ................................................................................................................................ 9
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 9
WORKS CITED ......................................................................................................................................... 11

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Introduction
Dairy products are a popular part of the American diet, and dairy consumption can attribute to a
number of necessary vitamins and minerals, including calcium, protein, and vitamin D. While
dairy is an advocate for a balanced diet, it also poses serious risks to consumers’ health. This
white paper will explore different risks associated with dairy consumption. First, it will discuss
the various contaminates, steroids, and hormones in dairy products. Then it will look at
information regarding different illnesses associated with dairy consumption.

Steroids, Hormones, and Contaminates

Steroids and Hormones

Dairy products that contain steroids and hormones pose risks to human health when consumed.
Common steroids in dairy products such as estrogens, progesterone, corticoids, and rBGH, can
affect naturally occurring hormones in cows and their milk. Hormones in dairy products raise
concerns about potential disruptions of physiological functions in the endocrine system. Any
changes in the endocrine can alter growth, development, and reproduction (Malekinejad and
Rezabakhsh).

Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a genetically engineered drug used on dairy
cows, stimulates cows to produce up to 25% more milk (Bollinger). Most, if not all, non-organic
milk from supermarkets contains this artificial hormone. The rBGH drug triggers increased
stimulation of another hormone naturally found in cows known as insulin-like growth factor 1
(IGF-1). The IGF-1 is biologically intended to support growth in calves, not humans. Higher
doses of IGF-1 in the human body promotes rapid cell proliferation which can trigger cells to
form tumors. Epidemiological evidence indicates that these tumors commonly form in the breast,
pancreas, and prostate. (Malekinejad and Rezabakhsh).

Contaminates

American farmers depend on antibiotics to keep livestock healthy. Remnants of these antibiotics
can pass from cow to consumer, and the excessive use of these antibiotics on dairy cows results
in increased exposure to antibiotics in humans. According to the FDA, approximately 80% of
antibiotics are used solely on livestock (“Antibiotics: Medline Plus”). The Center for Disease
Control and Prevention has stated that such exposure is resulting antibiotic-resistant diseases,
creating a serious concern for human health. Immunities to the antibiotics makes it more difficult
and more expensive to cure diseases and illnesses found in humans.
Zoonosis, an infectious disease transferable between animals and humans, can have lasting
health effects if caught by humans. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, zoonosis infections through dairy products are commonly associated with
tuberculosis, brucellosis, leptospirosis, and salmonellosis.
The causes of multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune condition affecting the central nervous system,
is still largely unknown, but recent research posits a correlation between the disease and milk
proteins. Proteins in cow’s milk mimic the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), the part
of the myelin that initiates autoimmune reactions in multiple sclerosis (Malosse et al.).
According to Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, milk protein has been shown to stimulate immune
cells of people with multiple sclerosis and cause lesions to appear in the central nervous system.

Lactose Intolerance
How Lactose Intolerance Develops

As infants, milk is an essential part of our diet because it provides vitamins and minerals needed
for newborns. In the first couple years of life, our bodies are well equipped to handle the intake
of milk. Lactase enzymes in the small intestines constantly replenish themselves through human
breast milk. Lactase enzymes are responsible for turning lactose – milk sugar – into simpler
forms of sugar: glucose and galactose. The simplified forms of sugar can then be absorbed into
the blood stream.

After the first two years of life, the lactase enzymes begin to break down, resulting in lactose
intolerance from lactase deficiency. As people age, their bodies will naturally produce less
lactase enzymes over the years, resulting in an inability to digest lactose. Because enzyme lactase
is present in our early years of life, most people develop lactose intolerance in late adolescence
and adulthood.

Commonly Affected Groups

Lactose intolerance affects nearly 70% of the population, but many people are not aware they
have it (Neville). Ethnic groups who are more likely to be affected include Asian, African,
Native American, and Hispanic groups. The following figure illustrates lactose intolerance by
country.

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 Figure 1: Map measuring lactose intolerance estimates by country. Picture provided by Maps on the
Web.

Dermatological Health
Dairy consumption positively correlates with dermatological health. The IGF-1 hormone found
in milk can cause inflammation that leads to redness of skin, swelling, and acne. IGF-1 can also
trigger an insulin spike, stimulating it to produce more IGF-1 and result in more acne. The IGF-1
hormone has also been associated with early on-set puberty, resulting in more severe acne earlier
in life.

Cancer
Hormones in dairy products are linked to cancer growth in prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer.
According to World Cancer Research Fund, breast cancer in the most common cancer
worldwide, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in North America, ovarian cancer
is the seventh most common cancer among women (“Ovarian Cancer Statistics”). More
information follows in regard to these three cancers and their relation to dairy.

Prostate Cancer

Studies conducted by The Journal of Epidemiology and The Journal of Nutrition found
consistent links between prostate cancer and dairy consumption. Further studies conducted in
Europe, Canada, Japan, and Iceland all show a positive correlation between dairy and an
increased risk of prostate cancer. Frequent milk intake among adolescents between 14 and 19
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years old increases the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. Higher intake of dairy
throughout adult life further increases the chance of developing prostate cancer.

Dairy increases the chance of prostate cancer by the IFG-1 hormone produced in cows. The
copious amounts of IFG-1 produced by cows and consumed by humans triggers this cancer
formation through tumors. The American Cancer society has provided further information
regarding prostate cancer, observing that diets with high concentrations of high-fat dairy
products positively correlate with higher risks of prostate cancer.

Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer causes are still under research, but one link to ovarian cancer is galactose, a sugar
produced from the milk sugar lactose. Many dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, and milk
contain substantial amounts of galactose. According to the Physicians’ Committee for
Responsible Medicine, analysis studies found that for every 10 grams of lactose consumed, or the
amount in one glass of milk, ovarian cancer risk increased by 13% (Barnard).

Breast Cancer

There are a number of possible causes of breast cancer, and recent studies observed a connection
between breast cancer and dairy consumption. The National Cancer Institute made the following
observations about age and breast cancer:

Breast Cancer Diagnosis Among American Women

4.5
4
Percentage Diagnosed

3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
30 40 Age
50 60 70

Figure 2: Information provided by The National Cancer Institute.

A 2001 Norwegian study concluded that milk reduces breast cancer risk in premenopausal
women, and many other studies support these findings for young women. However, information

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from the Nurses’ Health Study II found that women who consumed two or more servings of
high-fat dairy products everyday had a higher risk of breast cancer before menopause (Barnard).
Other studies support the findings that high-fat dairy is related to a higher risk of mortality after a
breast cancer diagnosis (Zubko). Another factor that correlates with breast cancer risk is the IGF-
1 hormone, which promotes cancer cell growth.

The conclusion of these results shows that dairy products positively and negatively correlate with
breast cancer, depending on the fat content of the dairy product, amount consumed, and women’s
age.

Bone Health
A common contradiction about milk products is that they provide strong bones, but dairy
products may actually have adverse effects on bone health. Calcium supports bone health and
growth, and human bones will consistently use calcium to remodel bones as the body ages. The
bones use small amounts of calcium at a time to complete this transformation with the assistance
of vitamin D. Consuming more than the recommended amount of calcium from milk doesn’t
improve bone strength, but weakens it. According to the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible
Medicine, drinking three or more glasses of milk can increase the risk of hip fractures by 60%
(Barnard). A 2005 research by Pediatrics shows that bone integrity in children doesn’t improve
from milk consumption, and dairy products are not preventative against bone fractures (Barnard).
A large-scale longitudinal study conducted by Harvard researchers confirmed these result,
concluding that there is no evidence drinking milk prevents bone fractures or osteoporosis.

Figure 3: Relation between bone fractures and calcium intake from dairy products. Graph
provided by the McDougall Newsletter (McDougall).

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Reducing Risks with Education
Whether or not dairy is more harmful or beneficial to a patient’s diet depends on the patient.
Factors that determine this include age, gender, ethnicity, and hereditary diseases. The previously
listed dairy health risks will not affect every individual the same, if at all. Because of this, it’s
important to judge dairy risks and benefits depending on each individual case. General
practitioners can take steps to ensure patients understand what dairy does to their health.

Lactose Intolerance Awareness

As previously written, many people don’t realize they have lactose intolerance. General
practitioners can ensure that their patients aren’t intolerant by explaining lactose intolerance
symptoms and its relation to ethnicity. As the map in Figure 1 showed, many Americans and
Europeans have developed a tolerance to dairy products compared to black, Mexican, and Native
American individuals.

Cancer Prevention

Cancer is a complex issue, and methods are still being tested to prevent and reduce risks of
developing it. While research is still underway to understand prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer,
patients should understand how much power they have in reducing the risk of developing such
cancers. Diet and exercise are often the most power people have, but “diet” and “exercise” mean
different things to different people. It’s important that general practitioners offer more than
vague advice and discuss what a healthy diet looks like depending on the individual.

Improving Bone Health

Bones deteriorate naturally, but certain conditions can cause this process to rapidly progress. To
improve bone health, it may be more effective to take products out of patients’ diets compared to
adding dairy in. Osteoporosis could be offset by reducing sodium intake, adding fruits and
vegetables, and monitoring calcium intake.

Dairy Substitutions

Dairy products may not be best for widespread consumption, as individual health needs are
complex, unique, and dependent on many factors in life. If patients have an issue with
consuming dairy products or a concern about potential risks, general practitioners can
recommend alternative plant-based, calcium-rich foods to complete a balanced diet. Many
alternative sources contain the same, if not more, nutrients as dairy, such as dark vegetables and
non-dairy milk.

Conclusion
The health benefits and consequences of dairy consumption are controversial, contradictory, and
complex. Dairy provides the body with many valuable nutrients, but it may not be for everyone.

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For some, it causes more harm than good to the body. For others, it may be the only way to
achieve all the necessary vitamins and minerals in their diet. Like many other foods, dairy affects
individuals differently, and it’s important that consumers understand what adverse effects dairy
could impose on them. Whether or not diary is the best method to completing a balanced diet
depends on many factors within individuals, such as gender, age, ethnicity, and health. Educating
consumers allows them to understand more about the “balance” of milk and its many forms, as
well as if this balance is suitable for their health.

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