We’ve been daily drinkers for centuries, but no clear-cut evidence shows milk is good for us. But, then again, studies haven’t been able to conclude it’s bad for us either. As one expert put it “This is one of the most complicated and interesting areas of nutrition,” in an article in the Los Angeles Times. The article by Chris Woolston explored this milk conundrum.
While unflavored milk is usually free of added harmful ingredients, such as sugar and trans fats, it usually is fortified with vitamin A and vitamin D. The article noted milk sugars, found no where else, contain important nutrients, such as protein, calcium, magnesium and potassium. These mean milk should be good, right? However, along with the A and D come cow hormones, which makes sense being that it comes from udders. Some say these hormones in large doses could be harmful to humans.
USDA recommends three cups of dairy milk for adults, and many nutritionists say large quantities are essential for human health because it can prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer and other illnesses. However, the article pointed out many of these experts are funded by grants from the dairy industry.
Funded by the business or not, studies have shown milk’s health benefits. Woolston mentioned a review of 11 randomized studies from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2009 found dairy increased bone density, and another Greek study found the same results. Other studies noted in the article show the potassium and conjugated linoleic acid in milk benefit the heart. Another study found women who drank the most milk had a 25-percent less chance of a heart attack. Wooston also said no studies have proven the saturated fat in dairy poses danger to heart health.
Milk naysayers, including animal-rights groups and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) say humans should not consume cows’ milk. In fact, the article quoted the founder of PCRM as saying, “It’s gross.” PCRM’s Web site says saturated fats, found in dairy products, are bad for heart health and encourage cancer. PCRM also said milk was not shown to help bone health in the Nurses Health Study. PETA’s Web site said milk is linked to allergies, constipation, obesity, heart disease, cancer and other disease, and often contains cow blood and pus.
The danger posed by milk comes mainly from its hormone levels, according to the article. Milk contains the natural hormones, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 or IGF-1, that spur growth. Experts say too much of these in the diet can spur growth of cells, aka cancer. Indeed, a recent Italian study found men who drank a lot of milk increased their risk of prostate cancer. On the other side, a 2008 study funded by the National Dairy Council, found no link between dairy and prostate cancer. For ovarian cancer, studies have likewise been mixed. The article said the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study of more than 325,000 women in 10 countries found no evidence that animal products — including eggs, meat and milk — raised the risk of ovarian cancer. The NIH-AARP diet and health study also found no link between dairy intake and the overall risk of cancer.
Still, moderate nutrition experts say one to two cups of milk is safe, but more doesn’t offer benefits and may be dangerous. The article concluded by saying these moderates probably have it right because there is still not enough evidence to push us either way.