10 Shocking Facts About Cow’s Milk

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Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:48 AM PST

Cow's milk has been a nutritious, dietary staple for children and adults for ages. Today, we’re witnessing an increase in the frequency of cow’s milk allergies and it’s fueling a debate between proponents of pasteurized milk and raw milk. Whichever side you're on, research continues to investigate the reasons for an apparent increase in cow milk allergies, the safety and nutrition of raw milk, dangers of milk consumption and healthy alternatives for children who cannot drink milk.

Let’s take a look at 10 shocking facts about cow’s milk.

1. Maternal Antibiotic Use is Linked to Cow Milk Allergy (CMA)

A 2013 study out of Finland looked at the connection between a mother’s antibiotic use and its impact on infants. Reviewing data from national records, infants diagnosed with CMA had a direct association with mothers who had taken antibiotics during pregnancy. Infants given antibiotics following birth also showed a greater tendency to the cow milk allergy. ^[1]

2. Cow’s Milk Consumption Affects Breastfeeding

With the increases in childhood allergies, including CMA, research has begun to explore the relationship between maternal diets and its effect on human milk in breastfeeding mothers. Infants of mothers who consume cow’s milk show higher levels of specific proteins known to increase immune response and lead to allergy development. The good news is mothers who restricted cow milk consumption reduced the chance of their infants developing a cow milk allergy. ^[2]

3. Avoiding Cow’s Milk Won’t Prevent an Allergy

Eliminating cow milk and dairy is a common recommendation by physicians when addressing colic and digestive distress in infants. However, two cases of infants raised on a dairy-free diet to control colic suggest this may not be the best approach. Despite never having been exposed to cow’s milk, these infants developed a cow milk allergy. ^[3]

4. A Cow’s Milk Allergy Can Be Outgrown

Many infants who experience a cow’s milk allergy outgrow it as they get older, some don’t. It has been noted infants with persistent CMA have higher levels of IgE, an immune system protein responsible for the allergic response to milk, even as they age. Also, infants who show an immune response to milk within the first month of life tend to have the more persistent CMA. ^[4] Another study confirmed continued high levels of IgE as a marker for persistent CMA, but did note that of 52 patients evaluated, ages 3 months to around 9 years of age, more than 60% became tolerant during the course of the study. ^[5]

5. Lactose Free Has Drawbacks

Children with CMA raised on lactose-free formulas or milk-free diets have been observed having problems with developing proper bone mass. A Polish study of 66 children with CMA examined the impacts of lactose-free formulas on nutrition and bone health. The lactose-free children had similar nutritional levels of calcium, phosphorus, sodium and magnesium. But, they had higher vitamin D deficiencies and lower levels of the chemical markers needed for bone formation. ^[6] Based on this study, any child raised on a lactose-free diet should be monitored to ensure adequate nutritional and medical care.

6. A Chicken-Based Formula Could be the Answer for Children Allergic to Cow’s Milk

Thai researchers evaluated a chicken-based formula to provide essential proteins and amino acids to children with CMA. They noted no significant differences occurred in height and weight growth between infants with CMA fed the chicken-based formula and infants of the same age without CMA fed on cow's milk. While definitely a new approach to the problem of CMA, it was noted that no complications occurred in the children fed on the chicken-based formula. ^[7] Cluck, cluck?

7. Raw Milk Consumption is Associated with Fewer Allergies

Cow’s milk allergies is a hot topic of study in Poland. Another polish study explored the effect of raw milk on allergy and asthma in Polish children and adults from a rural town. The researchers observed that raw milk consumption led to a lower occurrence of asthma and allergies, although hay fever and chronic nasal congestion occurred less frequently in the non-farmers who consumed raw milk. ^[8] These results support the hypothesis early exposure to raw milk offers protective effects against allergies and other autoimmune related diseases.

8. Raw Milk is More Nutritious

Raw-milk advocates argue raw milk is more nutritious and promotes health much better than its pasteurized counterpart. Whether this is true or not, science has shown raw milk retains nutrients destroyed by pasteurization. Pasteurization has been found to reduce levels of B1, B2, B12, folate and vitamin E. ^[9]

9. Raw Milk is Safe

Pasteurization is far more of a recent idea than consuming raw milk. Louis Pasteur developed pasteurization to protect wine from microbes and bacteria. For decades after this process was developed, raw milk continued to be consumed around the world. The process of milk pasteurization wasn't introduced until the early nineteenth century when proponents of milk pasteurization sought to protect children from the filthy and spoiled milk being sold.

Until then children (and adults) had consumed raw milk for millennia. Many obviously survived, however with consideration to cleanliness the number who did not as a result of raw milk provided from unclean sources, or that had gone bad is unknown.

A text called The Untold Story of Milk, by Ron Schmid, provides extensive detail into the safety and nutrition of raw milk, particularly in the chapter “The Safety of Raw vs. Pasteurized Milk.” ^[10]

Of course, while the anti-raw milk group will argue raw milk is unsafe the facts remain simple:

Raw cow's milk has more nutrition than pasteurized milk.
Raw cow's milk was consumed for thousands of years before pasteurization existed.
Consuming contaminated or spoiled raw cow's milk, as with any food, can cause illness, disease, and potentially death.

10. Cow’s Milk May be a Cancer Danger to Some

Hormone sensitive cancers such as breast or prostate cancer can be influenced by phytoestrogens. Cow's milk contains these hormonal substances. Researchers sought to identify whether the amount of estrogens could be influenced by the dietary sources of cows. The outcome showed the estrogens were present regardless of the cow's diet. ^[11]

And, a 26 year study of 68,000 women supports this idea. Women, especially post-menopausal women, with greater dairy intake over the period of the study had higher rates of endometrial cancer. ^[12] This 2012 publication suggests the health value of cow milk should be considered on a more individualized basis. Because contrary to the dairy industry's marketing line, “Milk does your body good'” milk may not be an ideal food for everyone and many are seeking out alternatives.

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM