Despite having a low Glycemic Index and Load, milk (even fermented milk such as yogurt) has been shown to elicit a very high insulin response. This has been shown repeatedly in intervention studies (*1-6).

You may ask, “What’s wrong with causing this high insulin response?”. Constantly increasing insulin levels may make the insulin receptors less sensitive (Type 2 Diabetes). This can lead to insulin resistance. This is the primary defect causing The Metabolic Syndrome, and can also be a driving force in Obesity. In addition, a chronic state of high insulin levels have also been associated certain cancers, acne and juvenile myopia, among other diseases.

As you will read below, studies show that the negatives affects of dairy outweight the positive. How much damage has dairy done to your body over the years? We can provide you with a comprehensive analysis of your blood tests that will show how much internal damage has been done, and provide recommendations on reversing the damage.

Various studies have associated dairy consumption with Type 1 Diabetes (*7-14), especially when the initial exposure begins in the first months of life. In addition, studies have repeatedly shown a strong correlation between cow’s milk consumption and Multiple Sclerosis (*15-19) as well as Rheumatoid Arthritis (*20).

What may be astonishing to some, case studies have shown that elimination of milk and dairy products from the diets of patients with RA improved symptoms, and the disease was markedly exacerbated on re-challenge. As if this weren’t enough, cow’s milk is also appears to have adverse effects in other auto-immune diseases, such as Crohn’s disease (*21), Sjögren’s syndrome (*22), IgA nephropathy (*23-25), and even Celiac Disease (*26).

While milk does contain proteins, fats, lactose, vitamins and minerals, it also contains various growth-stimulating steroid and peptide hormones.

Insulin
Cow’s milk, as well as human milk (and presumably milk from all mammals) contains insulin (*27-31). Bovine insulin – BI (which differs from human insulin) survives pasteurization.

We know this because immunity to this hormone is common in children who consume cow’s milk or who have been exposed to infant formulas containing cow’s milk (*32-35). Moreover, there is evidence that BI survives the human digestive processes and crosses the gut barrier intact. This is especially troubling for infants because they have higher intestinal permeability than older children and adults. Chronically high insulin levels have been associated with insulin resistance and Metabolic Syndrome.

IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor-1)
Cow’s milk contains active IGF-1 (*36). While pasteurization and fermentation appear to reduce its content, cow’s milk consumption, compared to various foods, is associated with higher plasma IGF-1 concentrations in both children (*37-40) and adults (*41-45). In addition, to containing active IGF-1, milks effect on insulin levels could lead to higher plasma IGF-1 (*58). IGF-1 is a hormone similar in molecular structure to insulin. It plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects (increased body size) in adults. Several studies have shown that increased levels of IGF lead to an increased risk of cancer (*55).

Betacellulin
Betacellulin (BTC) is quite new in the realm of investigating issue with dairy. It belongs to the Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) family of hormones, and it is found not only in cow’s milk and whey, but also in cheese (*46), so it survives pasteurization and processing. Although no direct evidence exists yet, bovine milk contains peptidase inhibitors which prevent human gut enzymes from degrading EGF2 (and most likely BTC). A low ph, such as may be found in the gut, does not impair or prevent BTC from binding its receptor and there are EGF receptors in the gut, through which BTC may enter circulation (*47). BTC has a significant growth stimulatory effect on pancreatic cancer cells (*56).

Steroid Hormones
Most milk for human consumption is obtained from cows in the latter half of pregnancy. This is when estrogen metabolites are greatly elevated (*48-50). The next question is “do the estrogens survive pasteurization?”. US researchers have measured estrogen metabolites in various milks and found that buttermilk contains the highest total amount of estrogen metabolites, followed by skim milk, 2% milk and whole milk (*48). This confirms the estrogens do in fact survive pasteurization and therefore are consumed when one drinks milk. Consuming milk and dairy products can account for 70–80% of the total estrogens consumed in the human diet (*48-49). Estrone sulphate has high oral bioactivity and is the most prevalent form of estrogen in cow’s milk (*48-49). You should also know that estrone sulphate comprises 45% of the conjugated estrogens in Premarin and Prempro, the most frequently prescribed hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women (*49).

The evidence is accumulating concerning the adverse health effects associated with dairy consumption. Although evidence doesn’t always show how dairy consumption can cause the adverse effects, dairy avoidance is highly recommended.

Calcium
Milk has a very high calcium/magnesium ratio and may contribute to some micronutrient imbalances.

The role of calcium in preventing and treating osteoporosis is unclear — some populations with extremely low calcium intake also have extremely low rates of bone fracture, and others with high rates of calcium intake through milk and milk products have higher rates of bone fracture. Other factors, such as protein, salt and vitamin D intake, exercise and exposure to sunlight, can all influence bone mineralization, making calcium intake one factor among many in the development of osteoporosis (*82, 83-85, 89).

Calcium intake in the U.S. is one of the highest in the world, yet the US has one of the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world. Bone mineral content is dependent upon calcium intake and calcium excretion. Most people focus upon the calcium intake side of the calcium balance equation, however few consider that calcium excretion is just as important.

Bone health is very dependent on dietary acid/base balance. Simply put, generally speaking a high protein diet is ‘acidic’ and a high fruit/vegetable diet would be considered “alkaline”. When you consume food that’s highly “acidic”, the acid must be buffered by the alkaline stores in the body. Calcium salts in the bones represent the largest alkaline stores in the body. These calcium stores are depleted and eliminated in the urine when the diet produces a high acid load. Because the average American diet is loaded with acid producing grains, cheeses, salted processed foods, and fatty meats, it produces a net acid load and promotes bone de-mineralization. Don’t get us wrong, you need protein! But you must consume plenty of green vegetables and fruits so your body doesn’t use excess calcium from the bones to neutralize a highly acidic diet. In addition, consider your status of Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Magnesium levels. You may be missing something! Get tested to determine your status.

References

  1. Gannon MC, Nuttall FQ, Krezowski PA, Billington CJ, Parker S. The serum insulin and plasma glucose responses to milk and fruit products in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. Diabetologia. 1986 Nov;29(11):784-91.
  2. Holt SH et al. An insulin index of foods: the insulin demand generated by 1000-kJ portions of common foods. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Nov;66(5):1264-76
  3. Ostman EM, et al. Inconsistency between glycemic and insulinemic responses to regular and fermented milk products. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:96 –100.
  4. Liljeberg Elmstahl H & Bjorck I. Milk as a supplement to mixed meals may elevate postprandial insulinaemia. Eur J Clin Nutr 2001; 55:994–999.
  5. Hoyt G et al. Dissociation of the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to whole and skimmed milk. Br J Nutr. 2005 Feb;93(2):175-7
  6. Hoppe C et al. High intakes of milk, but not meat increase s-insulin and insulin resistance in 8-year-old boys. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2005 Mar;59(3):393-8
  7. Virtanen SM, Räsänen L, Ylönen K, Aro A, Clayton D, Langholz B, Pitkäniemi J, Savilahti E, Lounamaa R, Tuomilehto J, et al. Early introduction of dairy products associated with increased risk of IDDM in Finnish children. The Childhood in Diabetes in Finland Study Group. Diabetes. 1993 Dec;42(12):1786-90
  8. Kostraba JN, Cruickshanks KJ, Lawler-Heavner J, Jobim LF, Rewers MJ, Gay EC, Chase HP, Klingensmith G, Hamman RF. Early exposure to cow’s milk and solid foods in infancy, genetic predisposition, and risk of IDDM. Diabetes. 1993 Feb;42(2):288-95.
  9. Fava, D.; Leslie, R.D.G.; Pozzilli, P. Relationship between dairy product consumption and incidence of IDDM in childhood in Italy. Diabetes Care 1994;17: 1488-1490,
  10. Gimeno SG, de Souza JM. IDDM and milk consumption. A case-control study in São Paulo, Brazil. Diabetes Care. 1997 Aug;20(8):1256-60.
  11. Hyppönen E, Kenward MG, Virtanen SM, Piitulainen A, Virta-Autio P, Tuomilehto J, Knip M, Akerblom HK. Infant feeding, early weight gain, and risk of type 1 diabetes. Childhood Diabetes in Finland (DiMe) Study Group. Diabetes Care. 1999 Dec;22(12):1961-5.
  12. Kimpimäki T, Erkkola M, Korhonen S, Kupila A, Virtanen SM, Ilonen J, Simell O, Knip M. Short-term exclusive breastfeeding predisposes young children with increased genetic risk of Type I diabetes to progressive beta-cell autoimmunity. Diabetologia. 2001 Jan;44(1):63-9.
  13. Wahlberg J, Fredriksson J, Nikolic E, Vaarala O, Ludvigsson J; The ABIS-Study Group. Environmental factors related to the induction of beta-cell autoantibodies in 1-yr-old healthy children. Pediatr Diabetes. 2005 Dec;6(4):199-205.
  14. Wahlberg J, Vaarala O, Ludvigsson J; ABIS-study group. Dietary risk factors for the emergence of type 1 diabetes-related autoantibodies in 21/2 year-old Swedish children. Br J Nutr. 2006 Mar;95(3):603-8.
  15. Agranoff BW, Goldberg D . Diet and the geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis. Lancet 1974;2:1061-66
  16. Butcher PJ. Milk consumption and multiple sclerosis–an etiological hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 1986 Feb;19(2):169-78
  17. Malosse D et al. Correlation between milk and dairy product consumption and multiple sclerosis prevalence: a worldwide study. Neuroepidemiology. 1992;11(4-6):304-12.
  18. Malosse D, Perron H. Correlation analysis between bovine populations, other farm animals, house pets, and multiple sclerosis prevalence. Neuroepidemiology. 1993;12(1):15-27
  19. Lauer K. Diet and multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 1997 Aug;49(2 Suppl 2):S55-61.
  20. Cordain L, Toohey L, Smith MJ, Hickey MS. Modulation of immune function by dietary lectins in rheumatoid arthritis. Brit J Nutr 2000, 83:207-217.
  21. van den Bogaerde J et al. Immune sensitization to food, yeast and bacteria in Crohn’s disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001 Oct;15(10):1647-53
  22. Lidén M, Kristjánsson G, Valtysdottir S, Venge P, Hällgren R. Cow’s milk protein sensitivity assessed by the mucosal patch technique is related to irritable bowel syndrome in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008 Jun;38(6):929-35.
  23. Fornasieri A, Sinico RA, Maldifassi P, Paterna L, Benuzzi S, Colasanti G, D’Amico G. Food antigens, IgA-immune complexes and IgA mesangial nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1988;3(6):738-43.
  24. Yap HK, Sakai RS, Woo KT, Lim CH, Jordan SC. Detection of bovine serum albumin in the circulating IgA immune complexes of patients with IgA nephropathy. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1987 Jun;43(3):395-402.
  25. Soylu A, Kasap B, Soylu OB, Türkmen M, Kavukçu S. Does feeding in infancy effect the development of IgA nephropathy? Pediatr Nephrol. 2007 Jul;22(7):1040-4
  26. Kristjansson G, Venge P, Hallgren R. Mucosal reactivity to cow’s milk protein in coeliac disease. Clin Exp Immunol 2007;147:449–55
  27. Walzem RL, Dillard CJ, German JB. Whey components: millennia of evolution create functionalities for mammalian nutrition: what we know and what we may be overlooking. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2002 Jul;42(4):353-75
  28. Ballard FJ, Nield MK, Francis GL, Dahlenburg GW, Wallace JC. The relationship between the insulin content and inhibitory effects of bovine colostrum on protein breakdown in cultured cells. J Cell Physiol. 1982 Mar;110(3):249-54
  29. Malven PV, Head HH, Collier RJ, Buonomo FC. Periparturient changes in secretion and mammary uptake of insulin and in concentrations of insulin and insulin-like growth factors in milk of dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 1987 Nov;70(11):2254-65
  30. Oda S, Satoh H, Sugawara T, Matsunaga N, Kuhara T, Katoh K, Shoji Y, Nihei A, Ohta M, Sasaki Y. Insulin-like growth factor-I, GH, insulin and glucagon concentrations in bovine colostrum and in plasma of dairy cows and neonatal calves around parturition. Comp Biochem Physiol A Comp Physiol. 1989;94(4):805-8
  31. Aranda P, Sanchez L, Perez MD, Ena JM, Calvo M. Insulin in bovine colostrum and milk: evolution throughout lactation and binding to caseins. J Dairy Sci. 1991 Dec;74(12):4320-5
  32. Vaarala O, Paronen J, Otonkoski T, A ° Kerblom HK. Cow milk feeding induces antibodies to insulin in children—a link between cow milk and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus? Scand J Immunol 1998: 47: 131–135.
  33. Vaarala O, Knip M, Paronen J et al. Cow’s milk formula feeding induces primary immunization to insulin in infants at genetic risk for type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 1999: 48: 1389–1394.
  34. Paronen, J. et al. The effect of cow milk exposure and maternal type 1 diabetes on cellular and humoral immunization to dietary insulin in infants at genetic risk for type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 2000;49: 1657–1665.
  35. Vaarala, O. et al. The effect of coincident enterovirus infection and cow’s milk exposure on immunization to insulin in early infancy. Diabetologia 2002; 45:531–534.
  36. Blum JW, Baumrucker CR. Insulin-Like Growth Factors (IGFs), IGF Binding Proteins, and Other Endocrine Factors in Milk: Role in the Newborn. In Bosze Z. Bioactive Components of Milk, Springer, 2008, Pgs 397-422
  37. Hoppe C, Mølgaard C, Michaelsen KF. Cow’s milk and linear growth in industrialized and developing countries. Annu Rev Nutr. 2006;26:131-73.
  38. Rogers IS, Gunnell D, Emmett PM, et al. Cross-sectional associations of diet and insulin-like growth factor levels in 7- to 8-yearold children. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005; 14: 204-212.
  39. Hoppe C, Udam TR, Lauritzen L, et al. Animal protein intake, serum insulin-like growth factor I, and growth in healthy 2.5-yold Danish children. Am J Clin Nutr 2004; 80: 447-452.
  40. Hoppe C, Mølgaard C, Juul A, et al. High intakes of skimmed milk, but not meat, increase serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in eight-year-old boys. Eur J Clin Nutr 2004; 58: 1211-1216.
  41. Ma J, Giovannucci E, Pollak M, et al. Milk intake, circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-I, and risk of colorectal cancer in men. J Natl Cancer Inst 2001, 93:1330-1336.
  42. Giovannucci E, Pollak M, Liu Y, et al. Nutritional predictors of insulin-like growth factor I and their relationships to cancer in men. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003, 12:84-89.
  43. Norat T, Dossus L, Rinaldi S, et al. Diet, serum insulin-like growth factor-I and IGF-binding protein-3 in European women. Eur J Clin Nutr 2007; 61: 91-98.
  44. Morimoto LM, Newcomb PA, White E, et al. Variation in plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3: personal and lifestyle factors (United States). Câncer Causes Control 2005; 16: 917-927.
  45. Holmes MD, Pollak MN, Willett WC, et al. Dietary correlates of plasma insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 concentrations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2002; 11: 852-861
  46. Bastian SE, et al. Measurement of betacellulin levels in bovine serum, colostrum and milk. J Endocrinol. 2001 Jan;168(1):203-12
  47. Rao RK, Baker RD, Baker SS. Bovine milk inhibits proteolytic degradation of epidermal growth factor in human gastric and duodenal lumen. Peptides. 1998; 19(3):495-504
  48. Farlow DW, Xu X, Veenstra TD. Quantitative measurement of endogenous estrogen metabolites, risk-factors for development of breast cancer, in commercial milk products by LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2009 Jan 31. [Epub ahead of print]
  49. Ganmaa D, Sato A. The possible role of female sex hormones in milk from pregnant cows in the development of breast, ovarian and corpus uteri cancers. Med Hypotheses 2005; 65: 1028-37
  50. Qin LQ, Wang PY, Kaneko T, et al. Estrogen: one of the risk factors in milk for prostate cancer. Med Hypotheses. 2004;62(1):133-42.
  51. Klompmaker TR. Lifetime high calcium intake increases osteoporotic fracture risk in old age. Med Hypotheses. 2005;65(3):552-8
  52. Owusu W, Willett WC, Feskanich D, Ascherio A, Spiegelman D, Colditz GA. Calcium intake and the incidence of forearm and hip fractures among men. J Nutr 1997; 127:1782-7.
  53. Feskanich D, Willett W et al. Milk, Dietary Calcium, and Bone Fractures in Women: A 12-Year Prospective Study. Am J Public Health. 1997 Jun;87(6):992-7.
  54. Feskanich D, Willett WC, Colditz GA. Calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures: a prospective study among postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Feb;77(2):504-11.
  55. Velcheti V, Govindan R (2006). “Insulin-like growth factor and lung cancer”. Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 1 (7): 607–10.
  56. Kawaguchi M et al Auto-induction and growth stimulatory effect of Betacellulin in human pancreatic cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology 16(1): 37-41 (2000)
  57. “Calcium & Milk”. Harvard School of Public Health. 2007. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium.html
  58. Cordain, l.; Eades, M.R.; Eades, M.D. Hyperinsulinemic diseases of civilization: more than just syndrome X. Comp Biochem Physiol Part A; 136:95-112, 2003