In the Danish periodical “Mit Helbred” (“My Health”) the head of the Danish Nutrition Councle, Arne Astrup, reacts to an article about cows’ milk. In this article Dr. Helge Volkman outlines many of cows’ milk’s unfortunate properties when used as nutrition for people (MH 5.97).
The Danish Nutrition Council (like that of many countries) and the Danish Dairy Organization recommend that we have an intake of no less than ½ liters low fat milk products daily. This is because of milk’s high calcium content, which presumably has the effect of counteracting osteoporosis.
Globally speaking, few adult have the ability to digest milk products. Many adults from northern climes vary from this norm. The extent to which adults can digest milk can be determined by a number of factors including whether the milk is homogenized, whether it is organically produced, and the amount ingested. This is not the case for people who are truly allergic to milk who cannot tolerate any at all (but these people become quickly aware of their condition.
Drinking cows’ milk daily can be associated with unfortunate health effects. Some of these effects have been proven while others have only been observed. These reports are often quieted by governmental agencies which do not want to frighten the population with information built on shaky foundations.
Just to show the extent of the problem I have collected some information about milk, both from the worlds of conventional and of alternative medicine, which shows that (and this is at least partially accepted by the Danish Nutrition Council) intake of cows’ milk isn’t necessarily so healthy. The Danish Nutrition Council recommends low fat milk products for adults solely because their calcium content is almost as high as that found in higher fat milk products. The Nutrition Council recommends that children under age 3 should be given whole milk because it is believed that children need the fat found in whole milk. The problem with milk is nevertheless due to far more than its fat content. If this article doesn’t sufficiently outline the problem, the interested reader is directed to the list of further reading at the bottom of this page.
Regarding milk and osteoporosis
“-In some countries, where the population does not drink milk, the problems with osteoporosis are not nearly as great as in Denmark.”
Dr. Steen Sander M.D., vice chairman of The Danish Nutrition Council.
“Mælken der dræber,”, Politiken 8.9.96.
”It has been shown that 27 – 47 % of the people who have osteoporosis cannot tolerate cows’ milk.”
Eva Lydeking – Olsen , nutritional therapist.
Stærke knogler hele livet", Klitrose 1993 ISBN 87 7728 039 3.
Regarding milk and diabetes
Finnish researchers have begun to suspect that a protein found in cows’ milk can, if given to children during their first six months, can promote the development of insulin dependent diabetes. This is confirmed in the following quotes:
“It has been found that the use of cow based infant formula instead of breast milk during the first 3 – 4 months of life seems to be associated with a slightly elevated risk of developing insulin dependent diabetes.”
Dr. Arne Astrup M.D., chairman for the Danish Nutrition Council
"Madkassen", Helse nr. 3. 1997.
”According to a laboratory at the University of Toronto, diabetic children have 7 times as many antibodies against cows’ milk proteins when compared to healthy, same aged children.”
Christian Paaske, author
"Mælk - den perfekte mad for kalve" Vegetarisk Forum 3.96. Originally the Norwegian periodical ”Vegetarnytt”
Regarding milk, cardiovascular disease, and obesity
“A plethora of studies have documented that milk products are not healthy, that they are contrarily harmful. They cause, among other problems, cardiovascular disease and obesity.”
Chief physician, Dr. Svend Lings M.D.
"Mælk usundt for voksne" Jyllandsposten 24.12.98.
Regarding milk and allergy
“The milk protein casein from cows has gotten a bad reputation regarding infants. An association has been shown between early introduction of cows’ milk, for the sixth month of life, and a tendency to develop allergy.”
Dr. Helge Volkmann M.D.
"Mælk, det kræver sin mand", Mit Helbred 5.1997
Regarding milk and bloating
“One of the most common reasons for continuous problems with bloating comes from the development of lactose (milk sugar) intolerance.
Karen Collins, nutritionist with the American Institute for Cancer research.
Regarding milk as a food product
“It is clear that strange dietary habits are bound to arise when adults of a mature age continue to drink milk. Taste becomes geared towards baby food.”
Professor Søren Mørch
"Det danske affaldskøkken", Politiken 2.11.1995
Regarding mil and ethics
Under the headline “Milk is dangerous and should be banned” ("Mælk er farligt og bør forbydes") the newspaper Helsingør Dagblad referred to naturopath Gunver Juul. He informed readers that feed to dairy cows contained the fat and carcasses of animals which died of natural causes and traces of plastic.
This was before the rise of mad cow disease, but ten years later it was stated that, “Fat is produced in slaughterhouses from animals which died of natural causes. Much of the fatty acids from this fat ends up in the cows’ udders, and therefore in the milk that we drink.”
Gorm Vølver, journalist
"Mælken der dræber" Politiken 8.9.1996.
Not only is this the case, but bacteria from cows with udder infections also enters the milk under milking. Even though these bacteria are killed under pasteurization, inflammatory factors persist in the milk. A Danish veterinarian had the following to say about this:
“Damn that’s disgusting.”
Tage Anker Sørensen, veterinarian
”Et dejligt glas døde bakterier” BT. 14.1.2003
Regarding milk and cancer risk
“If you smoke tobacco you get primarily lung cancer. If you drink milk the milk fat affects a number of organs and increases the risk of cancer op to five times that described in the literature.”
Emil Bier, adviser, veterinarian.
"Sødmælk er kræftfremkaldende og lige så farlig som tobak?" Mit Helbred nr. 33, 1995.
Regarding milk and hormone byproducts
According to Anne Marie Colbin, nutritional therapist, milk, as a glandular product, contains a number of hormones including thymus activating hormones, ovarian steroids, and hormonal growth factors in addition to nutrients.
"Food and Healing" p. 154, Ballantine Books 1996, ISBN 0345302857
What are the alternatives to milk?
They are pure water and a diet containing fruit, vegetables, quinoa and nuts. Depending on the quality of the diet, dietary supplements can be considered. Infants must have breast milk if possible. Formulas should only be used if absolutely necessary.
Cows’ milk is involved in more illnesses and health problems then are included in this article. See “Further reading.”
If you suffer from some of the following symptoms and you have milk products in your diet, try to avoid milk products for a few weeks to see if your symptoms are alleviated. As always, if your symptoms are persistent, debilitating, or more severe in nature, see a physician.
Symptoms related to lactose intolerance/allergy can include:
Tiredness, allergy symptoms, menstruation problems, stomach pains, constipation, paleness, iron deficiency, yeast infections, mucous in the airways, and much more.
It is the clinical experience of many nutritional therapists that children with chronic or frequent ear infections or colic can benefit from the exclusion of cows’ milk, and often also wheat, from their diet. These symptoms can though have other causes. If a child is breast fed, the mother should not drink cows’ milk. Also be aware of the many food items which contain milk products hidden in their ingredients.
Further reading:
- Mælkedranker og/eller osteæder af Rie Møller, Høst og Søn, 2. oplag 1987 ISBN 87-14-28549-5. (In Danish)Don´t Drink Your Milk, 9th edition af Frank A. Oski, M.D., TEACH Services 1983 ISBN 0-945383-347.
- De "skøre" kvinder - en bog om knogleskørhed af Frede Damgaard, Klitrose 1993. ISBN 87-7728-047-4. (In Danish)
- Virtanen SM, Laara E, Hypponen E et al. Cow's milk consumption, HLA-DQB1 genotype, and type 1 diabetes: a nested case-control study of siblings of children with diabetes. Childhood diabetes in Finland study group. Diabetes 2000 49: 912-917.
