What's wrong with MILK?

The Center for Disease Control, Nutritionists, FDA, DofA, NIH, and even many Alternative Health Practitioners often get this one wrong. What is up with Milk? What about Organic Milk? article  <While some good points in this article, they miss some main issues, like antibiotics and rBGST that does change milk producing greater amount of IGF-1 and estrogen hormones. Finish reading below before accepting any misconception face values. The Doctor letter is especially revealing at the end.

Mainstream medicine says whole milk is bad. Too much saturated fat leading to Cardiovascular Disease. Low fat milk 1-2% is good. Great for bones. Good source of calcium and vitamin D to prevent fractures. According to the Dairy Industry, milk protects bones and decreases fracture risk. Maybe not according to Dr Ludwig. ref  Plus, how is it possible that the Nurses Health Study following 78,000 Nurses for over 12 years has now discovered more bone fractures from increased milk consumption? ref   UK study > ref   And a Swedish study  here  Another study looked at family history on hip fractures (genetics) and found risk independent of Bone Mineral Density. ref

These studies from different areas of the World showing the same thing, more milk does not prevent fractures, and may slightly increase fractures over time compared to those who consume less or are non-milk drinkers. article Only one study would not carry much weight, especially if only an association survey, but when multiple studies begin showing the same result, credibility grows, and genetics carried more influence than density.

Goofy reference about milk. Are these things it says true? They make it sound like milk is poison!

Here are some of the facts that need to be addressed about milk:          

• Raw versus Pasteurized ref
• Organic versus Regular Pasteurized
• The calcium to magnesium ratio at 9:1 versus...
• Pasteurization process on mineral precipitation.
• Homogenization on fat particle size and effects.
• XO uptake with smaller fat particles
• IGF-1 increase in milk with rBGST hormone use**
• D-galactose effects on body ref ref
• Percent of calcium in human milk compared to cow's milk
• Infant dynamics between breast fed and bottle fed
• Grass fed versus grain lot fed cows on milk composition
• Effect of estrogen hormones found in milk ref ref

From T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies ref

1. In observational studies both across countries and within single populations, higher dairy intake has been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer (cited in [2]).
2. Observational cohort studies have shown higher dairy intake is linked to higher ovarian cancer risk. (Could be the hormones) ref
3. Cow’s milk protein may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes through a process called molecular mimicry. ref ref
4. Across countries, populations that consume more dairy have higher rates of multiple sclerosis.
5. 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. 
6. In interventional animal experiments and human experiments, dairy protein has been shown to promote increased cholesterol levels (in the human studies and animal studies) and atherosclerosis (in the animal studies).
7. 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.
9. Higher milk intake is linked to acne.
10. Milk intake has been implicated in constipation and ear infections.
11. Milk is perhaps the most common self-reported food allergen in the world.
12. Much of the world’s population cannot adequately digest milk due to lactose intolerance.

One positive note is that many studies report higher dairy and calcium intake shows a reduction of colon cancers. Risks and benefits overall have to be evaluated according to related conditions and diet, lifestyle, and genetics.

**IGF-1 levels are not always cut and dried, higher more cancers. Here is a study that shows weight adds an extra factor for direction of IGF-1 actions in HER2+ women. IGF-1 is more of a cancer risk for overweight people. Regular weight people show higher IGF-1 levels offers greater protection against cancers. There is more to this story.

MILK ASSOCIATIONS

Old as well as new research questions the amount of milk that is safe in the diet. ref  Yes, this study only looked at data as associations between heart disease rates and dietary food consumption, with milk often at the top of the list. Since butter didn't show the same CVD risk, it may not be just the saturated fat content of milk that is problematic.

This next reference dives deeper into milk health myth and explains simply and rather boldly the body principles as to why milk in large amounts does not help the body prevent factures long term. This comes from Singapore in a website for a nursing home that includes health information for their tenants. 

Copied from the above referenced website information: "In fact, in countries where the people consume high amounts of fish and eggs (which are the only vitamin D containing foods), the hip fracture rates are high too; because when both the intake of calcium (due to consuming dairy products) and vitamin D is high, the vitamin D causes a high uptake ratio of the calcium - accelerating the aging of osteoblasts."

Osteoblasts are bone building cells. The concern is that like many other body cells, osteoblasts have a certain lifespan, meaning they divide only a set number of times before they die. Thus, what would cause them to accelerate aging? Evidently, having to process extra calcium loads daily into bones. The blood level of calcium has to be maintained at a certain level for body processes. When calcium blood level goes up, the body quickly springs into action to eliminate the extra by either speeding up elimination or packing the extra calcium into bone storage areas. This increases osteoblast cell work and ages them faster.

WRAP UP

Here is a rather long but thorough letter from a California Medical Doctor to his patients on the merits and science of milk. It should end all debate, but it will not. You have to decide for yourself if you are willing to accept associated risks.