Why Dairy is Scary! 5 Shocking Facts about the Dairy Industry

5 Shocking Facts About the Dairy Industry

1. Increases Bone Fracture Risk and Mortality Rate
   As we focused more attention on nutrition, we began to unearth the inconsistencies of dairy health claims. A study published in 2014 by The British Journal of Medicine found high dairy consumption was related to higher mortality and increased bone fracture risk. Numerous other studies also showed similar findings that not only did dairy milk fail to improve the risk of bone fracture, but it actually increased the risk! Meanwhile, we are being taught as children to drink milk to help with bone growth and for adults to help with bone strength.

2. Increases Cancer Risk
   Multiple research studies show that consuming dairy products can raise our risks of many types of cancers, such as prostate cancer. A study from Asia  found men who consumed high amounts of dairy had a 13% increased risk of prostate cancer compared to men who consumed low amounts (Qin et al., 2007). In a later study by the American Journal of Epidemiology, it found consumption of dairy in early life led to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer later in life by 3.2 fold (Torfadottir et al., 2012).

   A study by The British Journal of Cancer on lactose intolerance subjects showed lower cancer rates for lung, breast and ovarian cancers in subjects who didn't consume dairy. Recently published from the International Journal of Epidemiology is a study that found dairy milk can increase breast cancer risk by 50%. Meat and dairy consumers were also found to have significantly higher risk of lymphoma

3. Increases Infertility 
   Dairy is known to contain steroid hormones. After all, all dairy products are derived from breastmilk from a cow who has recently given birth. Modern genetically altered cows can now even lactate throughout most of pregnancy. Found in cow's milk are steroid hormones such as growth hormones and estrogens and this study found men and children who consumed cow's milk absorbed estrogen which suppressed gonadotropin secretion, leading to a decrease in testosterone secretion. They concluded dairy consumption in children can affect their sexual maturation. Dairy also affects our other hormones and can worsen thyroid disease.

4. Worsens Many Health Conditions
   Dairy is a known offender to allergies and skin conditions such as eczema and acne. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition in 2015 found that eating dairy foods increased low-grade inflammation. A study published by the Journal of Rheumatology found subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) who ate more dairy products were more likely to need hip replacement surgery.

   Dairy can also worsen digestive issues such as gas and bloating even in those without lactose intolerance. Many people are found to be allergic to dairy or have delayed hypersensitivity responses to animal milks. Dairy milk can worsen colic and gas in babies being breastfed by mothers who consume milk products and is related to recurrent ear infections.

5. Dairy Milk is Full of Contaminants
   Dairy milk is not just laden with hormones, antibiotics, and bacteria. Many contaminants often find their way into milk indirectly as pesticide residues that are often found on feedstuffs/fodder such as DDT, lindane, dieldrin, etc., or as veterinary drug residues such as antimicrobials, growth promoters, and hormones. Some of these compounds being lipid soluble will be stored in fat tissue and secreted into the milk fat which then goes into dairy products for human consumption. Contaminants may also enter milk directly as a consequence of hygienic or industrial practices (e.g., detergents and sanitizers/disinfectants), or as adulterants as in the case of melamine. There are also milkborne pathogens that are responsible for continuous outbreaks of diseases affecting millions of people a year.  These include infections caused from Listeria monocytogenes, Brucellosis, Salmonella, Campylobacter spp, Corynebacterium diptheriae, Streptococcus pyrogenes, Escherichia coli, and Coxiella burnetii, Mycobacterium, and Yersinia enterocolitica. These pathogens infect hundreds of millions of people a year which is why raw milk is illegal in many parts of the world and only pasteurized milk products are allowed for sale in many countries. Even with pasteurization, many organisms can still find their way into milk products, posing the risk of deadly infections to humans.