Bovine growth hormone and breast cancer

October 19, 2:50 PMSeattle Nutrition ExaminerHeidi Nebel

Previous

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Seattle Nutrition Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Milk

Image by: striatic http://www.flickr.com/photos/striatic/131012552/

Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), is a genetically engineered growth hormone injected into dairy cows to increase milk production. Monsanto created rBGH under the brand name Posilac which was later sold to Eli Lilly. rBGH makes money for companies, has no consumer advantages and may also increase consumer health risks. Monsanto's testing of the drug showed significant increases of IGF-1 in milk from cows treated with rBGH. According to research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, increased levels of the growth factor IGF-1 play a role in the development of some cancers, including breast cancer. Though there is some debate over the ability of IGF-1 to survive digestion and enter the bloodstream intact there is still enough concern about the safety of rBGH that
it has been banned in the European Union, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Certain America health organizations are calling for the removal of rBGH from the market. In 2009, the American Nurse's Association  resolved to help "eliminate purchasing milk and diary products for use in the health care industry that contain artificial hormones such as rBGH".
The organization Breast Cancer Action has started a campaign calling for Eli Lilly to stop all production of rBGH and the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility  include the ban of rBGH as one of three goals for their Campaign for Safe Food. Though use of rBGH is unrestricted in the United States many corporations such as Yoplait, Dannon, Walmart, Starbucks and Kroger have begun to take notice consumer resistance to rBGH and are beginning to eliminate or reduce rBGH diary products. Consumers wanting to avoid rBGH dairy can download a comprehensive Consumers' Guide to rBGH Free Dairy Products from the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility.
 

If you enjoyed this article you may also enjoy:
Doctors warn that genetically modified foods pose a serious health risk and should be avoided
Supplementing with vitamin D is safe and especially important in Seattle
Support healthy school food via the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act
The nutritional benefits of breastfeeding