Did you know that in Medieval England parents would tie rabbits’ feet around their babies’ necks to ward off illness? Doctors would also spit on wounds because saliva was believed to have healing properties.
Indeed, history is replete with unfounded health beliefs, and to everyone’s detriment, the milk myth is among the most tenacious.
Milk is much more than just a drink; it’s a cultural phenomenon that can be traced back thousands of years. And still today, the milk myth resonates loud and clear: in 2001, the average American child consumed 104 quarts of cow’s milk.
Milk depletes the calcium from your bones
The milk myth has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that this protein and calcium-rich drink is essential to support good overall health and bone health in particular at any age. It is easy to understand that the confusion about milk’s imaginary benefits stems from the fact that it contains calcium – around 300 mg per cup.
But many scientific studies have shown an assortment of detrimental health effects directly linked to milk consumption. And the most surprising link is that not only do we barely absorb the calcium in cow’s milk (especially if pasteurized), but to make matters worse, it actually increases calcium loss from the bones. What an irony this is!
Here’s how it happens. Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction. You see, calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer and the biggest storage of calcium in the body is – you guessed it… in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit.
Knowing this, you’ll understand why statistics show that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy products also have the lowest fracture incidence in their population (there’s more on this later).
But the sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners ignore these proven facts. I know it firsthand because when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, my doctor recommended that I drink lots of milk in addition to taking Fosamax.
Fortunately, I did neither, because I knew that…
Cow’s milk is custom-designed for calves
Thanks to our creative ingenuity and perhaps related to our ancient survival needs, we adopted the dubious habit of drinking another species’ milk. Nobody can dispute that cow’s milk is an excellent food source for calves. Weighing around 100 pounds at birth, a calf typically gains approximately eight times its weight by the time it is weaned. But unlike humans, once calves are weaned, they never drink milk again. And the same applies to every mammalian species on this planet.
Also, each mammalian species has its own “designer” milk, and cow’s milk is no exception. For example, cow’s milk contains on average three times the amount of protein than human milk which creates metabolic disturbances in humans that have detrimental bone health consequences.
It’s important to bear in mind that mother’s milk is excellent nourishment for human babies, but its composition is very different from cow’s milk.
Scientific studies show that milk increases fracture risk
Many scientific studies contradict the conventional wisdom that milk and dairy consumption help reduce osteoporotic fractures. Surprisingly, studies demonstrating that milk and dairy products actually fail to protect bones from fractures outnumber studies that prove otherwise. Even drinking milk from a young age does not protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it. Shattering the “savings account” calcium theory, Cumming and Klineberg report their study findings as follows:
“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).1
And the 12 year long Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that those who consumed the most calcium from dairy foods broke more bones than those who rarely drank milk. This is a broad study based on 77,761 women aged 34 through 59 years of age.
In the authors’ own words:
“These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures.” (Source: Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997).2
Shocking statistics ignored by mainstream medicine
In the Osteoporosis Reversal Program one of the topics I discuss is the complete disregard of scientific evidence that discredits milk and dairy products as the best source of calcium.
One exception is Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., who states that:
“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”
Surprised? You shouldn’t be, because as I mentioned earlier in this article…
Milk is an acidifying animal protein
Like any other animal derived protein-rich food, milk has a positive potential renal acid load (PRAL) which triggers a protective biological reaction to neutralize all the damaging acidic protein before it reaches the kidneys.
The body is designed for survival, so it sacrifices bone density to protect the kidneys and urinary tract because the latter are essential to survival. And the most readily available source of acid neutralizer is in the bones. So even though milk contains calcium, it ends up sapping your bones of that crucial mineral. But that’s not all because…
Today’s milk is a processed food
Until the end of the 19th century in Europe and the beginning of the 20th century in the US, milk was consumed unpasteurized or raw. Later on, homogenization became the industry’s standard. These processes further alter milk’s chemistry and actually increase its detrimental acidifying effects.
Raw milk advocates claim that if cow’s milk is left “as is” it is a healthy and wholesome drink. It is true that raw milk is less acidifying than processed milk and that pasteurization and homogenization may cause a long list of digestive and other health problems, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.
Nowadays, milking cows are given antibiotics and most are also injected with a genetically engineered form of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). A man-made or synthetic hormone used to artificially increase milk production, rBGH also increases blood levels of the insulin-growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in those who drink it. And higher levels of IGF-1 are linked to several cancers.
This should not be ignored, especially in view of recent information by Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. In a press release titled “Monsanto’s Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers” (June 21, 1998) Dr. Epstein concludes that:
“Drinking rBGH milk would thus be expected to significantly increase IGF-1 blood levels and consequently to increase risks of developing breast cancer and promoting its invasiveness.”
Even though organic milk is from cows that are not given antibiotics or rBHG, if you truly care about your bone health and your overall health, you should…
Avoid drinking cow’s milk
As I explain in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program and contrary to mainstream recommendations, drinking milk and eating lots of dairy products are not the answer to reversing osteoporosis. And while in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program no food is completely off limits, I strongly recommend that you explore the different milk substitute options that I will list for you here.
But first, I’d like to clarify that unsweetened fermented or cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream are acid neutral. Yogurt in particular is chock-full of beneficial qualities. As is the case with milk, organic yogurt does not have rBGH, but even several of the most well-known yogurt brands have stopped using the bovine growth hormone (rBGH). You should call your favorite yogurt company to confirm. One more clarification: when I say unsweetened I mean without sugar or any artificial sweetener. However, you can add honey or stevia, a zero calorie plant-derived sweetener that is delicious and alkalizing as well. I like to carry around stevia packets in my purse so that I’m always able to sweeten food or drinks when I’m on the go.
The best milk substitutes
My favorite milk substitute is unsweetened almond milk, not only because it is alkalizing (as almonds are), but also because it’s delicious and tastes very similar to milk. I even cook with it!
If almond milk is hard to get, you can also try rice or soy milk. I strongly suggest consuming only organic soy milk to insure it’s not made with genetically modified soy. There is also some controversy about unfermented soy products, so try to use it in moderation.
What Else Haven’t They Told You?
What else have you been told about bone health by your doctor or other “experts” that is flat out wrong? What other “facts” (like drinking milk does a body good) are keeping you from optimal health?
Myths like these are a big reason I created the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. To give you the straight scoop on how to deal with osteoporosis the natural way.
I can help you take control of your future.
Learn more about the Osteoporosis Reversal Program here →
And remember, if you ever hear someone ask “Got milk?” smile and think to yourself “No, because I know better!”
And as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share them with me and the rest of our community by leaving a comment below.
References
1 Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. “Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994
2 Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997
Well, only recently, as someone diagnosed and suffering with fibromyalgia, have I found a very strong interest in the effects of not only milk but all food products (reconstructed) and produced for human consumption. Meaning, that no one can truly deny that a cow (as well as all mamals) produces it’s milk (in its natural state) for it’s offspring as do humans. My concern is the reconstruction of all foods for human use. In other words, in it’s natural state it goes without saying, that cow’s is not designed for human consumption. Does the reconstruction process make it good and/or healthy. And, if you must reconstruct (additives, processing, etc.) would it not be better to avoid and assume that product is not created for human consumption. Does this make the quoted “benefits” of this product real or man-made. Should, I look for more natural ways of consuming those benefits. I also wonder if a life history of consuming these reconstructed products contributed to any ailments. Is cow’s milk good for me or not? I believe in it’s natural state, NO. Then is it the reconstruction process to make it tolerable and digestible by the human body that makes it good for me? If so, then is finding these benefits in a more natural state, better for me?
There is a treatment for fibromyalgia since the middle of the 1990’s that successfully reverses the symptoms and allows you to have a normal life in a majority of cases.
fi******@*****il.com
well put.
I cut dairy from my diet about 2 months ago, since then my health has improved so much. My joints hurt less after a lot of training, and I have never been so lean.
There are so many people who have cut dairy out of their diets and would never go back …
Awsomely stated! Yes there is a connection to pain and as for the Lyrica program it causes painful edema and weight gain hardly normal so if your someone who can’t tolerate the so called treatment for fibro, then hitting it from another angle is appropriate.
Very true, Damien…as noted below, relief from inflammation tends to be a benefit when people stop consuming milk…and that often means relief from pain, too!
Have you ever heard about the Massai? They are an African people who live mostly on milk and its products, as well as meat (and blood). And do they suffer from osteoporosis as much as the American people do? NO. Obviously, then, milk isn’t the problem.
It is also scary to see a person so concerned about bone health actually recommending SOY – loaded with phytic acid, which binds bone-building minerals, preventing their absorption.
Bottom line: the osteoporosis problem is one of the number of modern “epidemics” (obesity, diabetes, dental caries etc.), which reached such proportions only in recent times. Instead of demonizing a single food, it would be better to look into wider trends – like, what are the major differences between the way we eat now, and the old nutritional traditions? And it’s been done. For anyone seriously health-conscious, I recommend that you look up the research of Weston Price.
Not to mention that the Massai are the among the tallest people on the planet. So obviously milk has incredible benefits.
You should take a college class on genetics before putting the word “obviously” in a sentence like this… …Because you “obviously” don’t know what you are talking about. 🙂
OK SO ELABORATE ON THIS BECAUSE ALL YOU DID WAS BLAH BLAH I want to know specifically what you mean and in scientific terms because OBVIOUSLY YOU FORGOT TO PUT THAT IN.
The Massai drink the milk after it has been fermented, as buttermilk. This makes it acid neutral. Cow’s milk is for calves.
There are also a lot of people that live on mostly soy diets with fewer cases of osteoporosis than Americans
the human body balances pH via the renal and respiratory systems, through bicarbonate production, and yes, calcium carbonate released from the bones. milk-like most meat, dairy, peanuts, etc.-is an acid-forming food, and eating a disproportionate amount of it can cause metabolic acidosis and stress the body to correct it. but the message to take away here is to limit excessive milk intake as well as other acid-forming foods while balancing one’s diet with alkalizing foods. don’t forget, milk contains a fair amount of calcium.
it’s up the consumer to purchase dairy products operated by responsible farmers that prohibit hormone us. this fact alone shouldn’t preclude people from purchasing milk all together. like all food, know where it comes from and how it was made.
if milk is a processed food because it’s pasteurized, then so are most fruits and veggies cleaned of bacteria-containing soil. pasteurization is a process of heating and reheating milk to decreased the number of bacteria present. it’s the same reason why meat is cooked to a specific temperature.
You know… Saliva has been found to have disinfecting and healing properties… Not the best way to start off, your credibility is rather shot. I also recommend this research-based article. https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22349307/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/does-milk-really-do-body-good/#.UMIqyY5c_zI
I agree on the almond milk, BUT you should only be drinking organic almond milk. Almonds are one of the most sprayed crops, so avoid drinking a pesticide concoction! Buy only organic almond milk (and almonds, almond butter, etc. for that matter) or, better yet, make your own. It’s super easy and you can adjust the flavor and texture to your liking.
Good point, Martin! Thanks for the reminder about organic almond milk.
Cow’s milk, like the majority of dairy and animal products, is an acid-forming food. As with all foods, the pH nature of milk in the body is determined by the end products resulting from metabolizing it, not by the pH of the milk itself. A 3.5-oz. serving of either whole or skim milk is only slightly acid-forming, placing an acid load on the kidneys of 0.7 milliequivalents, or 1/1,000 of an equivalent. Whole, evaporated milk is only slightly more acid-forming, giving the kidneys an acid load of 1.1 milliequivalents. By comparison, a 3.5-oz. serving of plain, processed cheese made from cow’s milk creates a potential acid load of 28.7 milliequivalents, and is much more acid-forming than milk. Not all types of milk are acid-forming. While pasteurized goat’s milk falls into the slightly acidic category alongside cow’s milk, raw goat’s milk is slightly alkaline-forming. Almond milk is also alkaline-forming and provides another alternative to cow’s milk. Soy milk has a neutral effect on the body’s pH levels — it’s neither alkaline-forming nor acid-forming. Unsweetened fruit juice, vegetable juice, lemon water, green tea and herbal tea made from leaves or roots are other alkaline-forming beverage options. Found this on livestrong. Now I feel like having a bacon cheeseburger and and a milkshake.
Milk makes your body acidic?…But milk is a base…That’s why it curdles when you put lemon juice in it…
Since this information seems to revolve around the fact no other animals drink another mammals milk, and no other adult mammals drink milk period, then should we conclude since no other omnivores cook their food, we should eat the meat we consume raw? That’s not a very good idea. If you don’t feel milk is healthy, then don’t drink it. If you like milk, drink away. I know vegan personal trainers who don’t drink milk, and bodybuilders who drink a gallon per day. I’m sure they are more healthy than 80% of the people who are spouting opinions here. You cannot determine health based on one study. And one individuals health will not mirror another’s except rarely. You can get the resources of milk by other means, but how many people who are against milk drink soda or juice? Those have much more acid content than milk.
I like the connection you made between no other animals drinking milk and cooking our food. I felt the opinion about the bodybuilder drinking a gallon a day and being healthier than 80% of the population was a little askew. I believe you have mistaken fit for healthy. Their are plenty of fit active individuals with habits that are still slowly degenerating their health, consuming milk probably being one of them, another being consuming an abundance of inorganic materials in the form of energy drinks, over the counter medication and supplements chalk full of man-made ingredients that do not create the natural healthy organic environment that our bodies thrive on.
Don’t ignore that I also included the vegan personal trainers in that category as well. You are right, though, it’s closer to 70% than 80% if you only include overweight and obese adults over 20 and discount smokers, alcoholics, crackheads, ect. . Energy drinks probably are worse than soda for the body. I do not remember over the last 30 years how many times I have heard eggs or coffee are either bad for you or good for you, then it changes. Then it changes again. I guess it only matters on an individual basis. I have lost count of the number of people I have watched die; car crashes, suicides, homicides, sucking chest wounds, getting blown to bits by rockets and mortars, various old age illnesses, none of them looked pleasant. We are going to die of something. Whatever I die from, I hope I deserve it.
This article has convinced me… but, almost everything has milk listed in the ingredients, it’s almost shocking how many products contain milk. Do you think that amount of milk will affect a person?
I feel bad for you. Deceived by mil companies propaganda. Do your research on milk.
Savannah, unless you’re allergic, I wouldn’t worry about small amounts of milk in certain foods. 🙂
Hello
What does everyone think about the new Consumer Reports article about the high levels of Arsenic in Rice? I’ve been drinking Rice milk for years now and was saddened by this news. It’s terrible to think you are living a healthy life only to realize you may have been poisoning yourself all along. Do you feel there is a cause for great concern here? Is Arsenic a major health threat being it is in everything though supposedly not at the levels that it is in Rice products.
Is Hemp milk a good alternative even though it uses carrageenan?
Leeching calcium from the bones to neutralise its acidic effects? There’s something called a carbon dioxide/carbonic acid buffer and it exists in our bodies for a reason…
As for the “studies” given as examples, consider the statement that Vincent has made, completely out of context and in no way actually supportive of any detrimental effect of milk, only that it is not definitely traceable to a bone BENEFIT.
Seriously, if you’re going to try and write an article like this, how about actually finding some proper evidence instead of just throwing out assertions to the people stupid enough to eat them up?
Without much help even from Wikipedia, unless you’re able to explain the relevance of this buffer to calcium transport to or from the bones, your comment is no more than a red herring.
We are the only species on this planet willing to drink the milk of another animal. When we are babies we are given our mothers’ milk not cow milk. As stated once we grow up we and every other species don’t drink our mothers’ milk. When they discuss bone fractures, and osteoporosis, they’re referring to that at an older age, not 6, 7 or 20. Regardless where, or how cows’ milk is produced, lactose intolerance also plays a factor into this (Which is 1 of the many reasons I don’t consume Milk)
Milk is so acidic that it flares heartburn, doesn’t that worry you?! You expect milk to be cooling and since it’s packed with calcium, you’d assume that would knock out the burn, but nope, it does the opposite, that should prove to you how acidic(rich, cool, and creamy) milk is. Not to mention studies have shown that Casein protein (Main protein in Milk) spark the growth of cancerous tumors.
Whey protein used to be dumped down sewage drains until the milk industry convinced us that it is good for our health.
It’s all about the money, atthe end of the day. We are just the pawns in this game.
Here here. We’re all pawns in this game and the world will never stop drinking milk.
To be fair most of the food we consume is processed in some way and that’s why we as a race are constantly getting ‘new’ diseases and ‘new’ ailments but the truth is it’s because we are getting fed bullshit to make a very small amoutn of people very rich!!
kiss my ass !
Oat milk I believe is probably the purest and healthiest…almond milk is also good as you mentioned, but soy milk I would stay away from completely unless you have fresh in your salads…rice milk also contains vegetal fats which doesn’t make it pure…
Where do you find oat milk?
You can often find oat milk in health food stores alongside rice and almond milk…it’s usually in cardboard cartons, though, not refrigerated. 🙂
Point is modern day cow milk production methods leads to product bad for our health, think of all these genetically engineered harmones and antibiotics injected into cows. Why don’t we accept the fact. Soya milk is great alternative. I just got from cow milk and over to soy milk…this won’t mean I remove milk of my diet completely. Its just drinking more of soya than cow milk. All the best!
The only ‘good’ soy is organic (good luck) and FERMENTED, especially for men, unless you want the myriad problems caused by phyto-estrogens; Proatatitis, man boobs, seriously reduced Testosterone…
Correction: Prostatitis
Absolutely love this discussion. I was chronically ill with Rheumatoid Arthritis and I could barely walk. My left knee was swollen like a cantelope. After eliminating dairy products, along with other acid-forming foods, I made tremendous improvements and am now an Ambassador for Arthritis NSW in Australia. Here’s more about milk and it’s nastiness, if you’re in the MOO’d for more milk bashing! Milk and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ooops! Sorry this is the correct link to the blog Milk and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Okay Clint, this is a better link that actually gives some information. Not that I believe drinking milk causes rheumatoid arthritis but if “eliminating dairy along with other acid producing foods” worked for you then you did the right thing.
Thank you for that information, Clint! Relief from inflammatory conditions is not uncommon when people cease drinking milk…
Clint, this link is just an advertisement to sell a product. Shameful.
Laughing at everyone getting angry at the milk debate. DAIRY IS BAD FOR YOU get over it. Havard university have declared it is not essential in our diet and have taken it out of their nutritional recommendations. dairy is acidic!
Just because something is not “essential” does not make it bad. It just means that one can live without it.
I’ve been smoking cigarettes for years. Nothing bad has happened and I feel super healthy. Obviously cigarettes aren’t bad for me!
Ignorance is bliss people. Let them enjoy their milk.
^Upvote^
You can almost prove any point you want to using the right numbers and referencing the right studies. Very little is concrete and is up for debate. All other major sources of milk (ex: soy, rice) have their own debate if they are harmful or not. Maybe it’s the fact that all of these foods contain water that is the issue. Dang oxidation is getting us all right under our nose.
So Dennis, drinking cows milk is as bad for me as smoking cigarettes? It sure sounds like that is what you are implying.
Appreciated your views! Thanks.
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I don’t give a **** what this sniveling, propagandist Master of Arts tells me, I haven’t broken a bone in my life, and I play football, bike, and drink a couple cold glasses of whole milk every day! My cousin, on the other hand, never liked milk, wouldn’t drink it. When she was 6 or 7, she broke a leg jumping in a bouncy castle! What does that tell you, Vivian?
By the way I’m SURE you have a degree in nutrition as well as your Master of Arts, otherwise you have no right to pass your book on as factual research!
I agree! I love milk and drink at least twice a day! I’ve been told by my dentist that my teeth have unusually high tolerance to cleaning, never had a cavity, a when I was in an accident my head shattered a windshield yet not even the slightest sign of a fracture.
When insults and name-calling are interjected into the discussion, you can be sure the originator of this behavior is themself close-minded, prejudicial,over aggressive. You can also see the simple-minded examples given to “prove” a point. I’m sad for such a person.
Milk is amazing, end of story.
Where this article falls apart for me is:
“Raw milk advocates claim that if cow’s milk is left “as is” it is a healthy and wholesome drink. It is true that raw milk is less acidifying than processed milk and that pasteurization and homogenization may cause a long list of digestive and other health problems, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.”
In essence, you just said, “Yes, raw milk is different and better and may even be healthy, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.” What? You gave no reasons here other than, “I’ve already made up my mind against all cow milk.”
Also apparent here:
“Even though organic milk is from cows that are not given antibiotics or rBHG, if you truly care about your bone health and your overall health, you should…
Avoid drinking cow’s milk”
Again, what?! You just said, “Organic milk does not have all the problems I just listed above, but despite that, if you love yourself you should… Avoid drinking [any] cow’s milk.”
So, what’s the deal? What if the milk is raw and organic? We’re avoiding it just because it falls under the category of “cow’s milk?” I am curious to know your (hopefully unbiased) opinion on this.
So I have not made up my mind completely as to whether this information is 100% accurate without looking further into this topic although I need to reply to your question because I think it’s a pretty common sense explanation. The two key words on your first quote is “less acidifying” and the second quote is referring to rbhg not the acidifying affect. Retread the six paragraph from the beginning of this article, just because raw milk is LESS acidifying doesn’t mean it won’t have the exact same affect, just less so, which would still be harmful towards your health. With organic it may not have the growth hormones but again will still have the same affect. We all know smoking cigarrettes is bad for you health, well smoking unfiltered are even worse, smoking cigarettes with filters will be less harmful but my no means does that make them good for you.
I’ve had at least three doctors tell me to avoid drinking milk because it is highly inflamatory. I used to love to drink milk. I haven’t consumed cows milke in years. However, I have been consuming raw (organic, nonpasturized, nonhomogenized, no drugs, pasture-fed) goats milk, which I understand is the closest to human milk than other mammals. Was interested is Vivian could respond with respect to goats milk. Thanks.
What don’t you guys understand? You’re basically drinking cow nipple juice. It’s horrible for you. I mean, seriously, A banana is in closer relation to us than cow! Do you know why everyone says it’s good for you? The money. Everyone who says milk is good is getting so much money. The government. Probably even the Surgeon General. I don’t care if you haven’t fractured a bone or anything, but what’s to say that milk is the reason for that? Come on guys. Get your heads out of your asses.
But if you have fractured a bone, milk IS the reason for that?
..we are closer related to bananas, from the plant kingdom, than we are to cows, which we share a class with? okay..
Hi Vivian, I love milk in any form because I did not have enough as growing child. You say not to drink cow’s milk, how about Goat’s milk, is it o.k. to drink it or take is fermented like cow’s milk? please let me know, thank you very much, Danica
Almond milk are coming from almond, right? I can’t tolerate even the smell of almond I get migraine headache.
I also don’t use any cow milk, I drink organic goat milk pasteurised but not homogonized. However, I also use yogurt, kefir, unsweetened and all kind of fermented food but I still feel like loosing my bones. How much I should be drinking milk a day? What other products can help me not lose my bones as fast as it does now? It has been almost 20 years since I was menapose and nothing can prevent osteoporosis. Please help!
Hi E G,
The reason that calcium may not be getting to/staying in your bones, especially if you are supplementing with vitamin D, may be that you are not getting ‘any’ Vitamin K2 which is absolutely necessary to direct the calcium in your diet TO your bones and away or even OUT of your heart and arteries. Without K2, your next unhappy surprise may be heart disease. Get K2 from fermented Veggies or (disgusting) fermented Natto or Gouda and Brie cheeses; otherwise get it in capsule form from a health food store.
Sauerkraut is another good source of K2, and remember, your doctor may confirm that you need to be getting K2 every day, otherwise you could have a serious heart problem despite having even optimal LDL, HDL, HDL/Cholesterol ratio, Triglycerides and Homocysteine numbers, as was the case before my unexpected ‘event’.
K2 deficiency may well be the missing ‘calcium traffic cop’ behind the spike in Heart Disease in developed countries. Fructose and HFCS is a topic for another column.
To your good health
This is complete and utter bull corn. I looked into the ‘studies’ that were quoted in this article. The true facts are nothing like the author makes them out to be. Out of context quotes are exactly that… Out of context.
On a slightly related note, why do you put MA after your name? Is it to try and trick people into thinking you are some kind of authority on the subject of milk and health?
MA is a Master of Arts…
Granted, it is common practice to use degree abbreviations for Doctorates, clergy, and some very specific degree paths but calling attention to a masters degree in arts while writing a bone health article is a little bit shady.
Good luck on your personal crusade against dairy products. May your crackpot “facts” take you wherever it is you are looking to go.
wow, vincents coment is like the smartest thing ive read in this
^Upvote^
this is total bull i dont mean to be those people who are supposedly raised on milk cause im not…. first of all i drink a gallon in about 2-5 days and thats since ive been a toddler, second ive past all my older siblings in height( theyre all well past their 20s im only 15) and not only that im even stronger than most of them except for the dam jock whos the oldest-they dont drink as much milk.As proven in the gym and in fights. Third ive never had a fracture aside from receiving constant blows to my body that have fractured other peoples bones. And fourth it has helped me build ALOT of muscle… i mean ive only been going to the gym for a few months and i could easily lift past my weight of 200. Just to say its helped alot with protein. Just saying this art. is bull crap, there is just no frikin way
im am also 6 feet tall and surprisingly stronger, faster and have better cardio than most athletes at my school even though ive never played a sport or tried running just for the heck of it. proving this bull about the heart problems( except as a little kid but not much of a workout)
You sir, actually not even a sir, are a complete idiot. Not only does it seem that you haven’t thoroughly looked into this topic but only assume that milk and no other factors are aiding you in your “fights”. I stopped complete consumption of milk and have stayed off it for two years. Should I assume that my bones will break while fighting in my Muay Thai class because of the absence of dairy? By the way, when I was 15 I knew that “alot” is not a word…
Milk is fine. There is nothing wrong in drinking it.
I find all soy products aggravate my allergies and surpress my thyroid function.
So, I do what my Doctor tells me: I eat salmon 1 or 2 times a week, in the same meal as broccoli or brussel sprouts. And I do it with milk!
Some of these comments are ridiculous.
Logic people, use it.
Nowhere in the article above does the author say that if you drink milk you are guaranteed to break bones.
Not only are many of the comments ridiculous, they are uncivil, rude and very poorly written. I find it impossible to take seriously anything written with such a complete lack of judgement or grammar.
Vivian Goldschmidt writes for her audience with civility and thoughtfulness, and it is clear she does her homework very thoroughly indeed. I suggest we reply in similar mode, or keep quiet.
I agree. This was not meant to “call out” milk drinkers as ludacris. It was an attempt to inform others of what study and research shows. Cause & effect. If you enjoyed it, cheers, if not, cheers…lol
Well for those of you who are historians , think about it, what did people drink mostly in old times, Milk from every animal that produced it, some even collected animals of many species just to have a variety, A herdsman in scotland during medieval times suggested the milk be reserved for the king only cause it was a gift from God and he was eventaully killed by townspeople, Milk from cows is more healthy than that which you buy from the store casue store milk is government treated, meaning it has 1% or less of chemicals that no one should eat, it also has extra things added to it to water it down and eventually changes the taste, you should taste the difference between cow milk and store milk, I have drank cow ilk my whole life and I have never had any bone aches or damage.
ive been drinking store milk my whole life and ive never had bone problems or anything else posted on the top, aches hurting, nothing) in factits the opposite all my bros have broken bones and i havent had one fracture, im the yougest 2
edit: everything i misspelled =p (wrote in a hurry)
I drank milk my whole life, another interesting fact is i never broke a bone or had a fracture. So does that means this article was wrong!?
See how retarded you guys sound arguing how you drank milk and never broke a bone, you act like the milk stopped the guy from dropping the sledge hammer over your leg, most cases ive seen it was some type of event that broke a bone, what i think this article is saying is that the added up effects of milk really fuck you over when you get older, so you jocks who drank milk won’t feel it until you get older, like falling over and breaking your frail milk drinking hip.
I never had any bone ‘broken that is’ incidents and I drink MILK. and I eat dairy products and i’ll continue to do so cause it is good for you I believe and it makes me feel good.
At the person who said- ‘eliminating dairy’ to lose weight. I drank milk everyday, I had hot cocoa, one cup a day ( 2 percent) with MILK and ate cereal with milk and worked out and lost tons of weight. in like a period of one to 2 months and I drank milk constantly- that has no effect on weight or in fact would probably help. As long as it’s 2 percent that is. Yes, not even ‘1’ or skim.
I also never get an ‘upset stomach’ after drinking milk or milk related products, In fact, it’s the opposite.
You can get calcium from some orange juice’s but I don’t think milk does any harm.
lol, another ignorant person. You are one of those people that the article talks about. You were raised on milk and because you don’t fall into the sample size of milk drinkers that broke a bone, you determine to yourself that it is good for you and this article is wrong. What an idiot. Please post less.
Why is it that all these “nutritionists” tell me things that don’t match up with reality. They say milk makes your bones weaker, yet docotors suggest milk consumption for osteoperosis. They say white rice is unhealthy and billions of people on the earth consume it daily and are in better shape than these fat nutritionists. Why do I cosume 2 gallons of milk a day and have never broken despite many injuries and falls. I am all for science, but when you are trying to drill something in someones head that inheritely and obviously not true with no honest evidence, how can you believe it? I compare people who believe this to creationists. Despite the actual everyday evidence that contridicts everything this stands for, they still believe it. amazing.
edit: 2 gallons a week
Rather, it’s been drilled into your head, and the heads of Americans since post-WWII. Inform yourself, because you seem to have a really judging bias on this topic. The evidence and the studies are there. Yet when you look at the ones that say ,ilk is good for you, they can almost always be tracked to the dairy industry.
I understand where you’re coming from – obviously the benefits of cow’s milk is a much-debated issue, which is why you often hear so many different stories. However, you cannot possibly say that there is zero “honest” evidence that it isn’t as good for you as some people say, especially when the author went out of her way to quote sources of evidence. And, guess what, things get contradicted in science even if they’re true. Unfortunately that’s the nature of it all. Correlation does not equal causation. Maybe a study that shows that cow’s milk is beneficial for X, Y, and Z reasons is actually explained by something else altogether. You cannot discount this author’s explanation because the fact of the matter is that it is nearly impossible to take all scientific variables into account. All you can do is point out the correlations, do more tests, and choose how you want to react. If you still want to drink it, that’s your choice, but to accuse this author of “drilling” things into our heads with things that are “inherently and obviously not true with no honest evidence” seems pretty ignorant to me. If anything is “inherently and obviously not true” it’s the thought that one person’s experience or a contradicting experiment can completely debunk everything that’s being argued in this article.
Cows milk is gross whether or not it is good for you. I love how people flip out about women giving their children their own breast milk after the age of two and then go to fridge and pull out breast milk of a farm animal and drink it like its water. Because that it better!
Somehow I don’t believe this article. Many years ago it was touted that coconut oil is bad for you, now its one of the most touted “natural foods”. I wonder about the millions poured into “research” by big companies that then tout their products……I am not really a fan of processed products, so I am skeptical about this article that tells me processed yogurt made in a huge vat in a factory is one if my best sources of calcium!? give me a break. Similarly, I am wary of milk nowadays that is pasteurized, so it kills some of the nutrients and the cows are so darned jacked up on drugs to keep them alive longer and making them super milk producers that I wonder how “natural” the milk is. that’s my biggest worry. I love milk and I am yet to be convinced that I should stop drinking it. I love cheese too and worry about the processing that goes into cheese nowadays that makes many types of cheese taste like plastic. I went to Quebec not long ago and went to a traditional farm that made cheese the old fashioned way….. a taste of heaven….. good old natural production is the way out!!!
It seems not all studies agree on the effect of milk on bones health.
Could you for instance have a look at this recent study (2011) and let me know what you think about it please:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20949604
“Our conclusion is that in our meta-analysis of cohort studies, there was no overall association between milk intake and hip fracture risk in women but that more data are needed in men.”
I have been drinking milk all my life.I am 70 years old and still drinking milk and there is nothing wrong with my BONES.You have to separate your self from the masses.I lift weights and run the hills.So don’t try to tell me that milk will destroy my bones if that was true i would not have any bones left.
you are simply lucky you’ve taking such good care of your body. but something u should look a little more into is that milk has quite a bit of estrogen and if you working out thats certainly not helping your performance.
dude i could lift my own weight (200) and im an addict to milk if anything it makes you stronger… im only 15
and 6 feet, already passed my older brothers and sisters that are all in there 20s
Thank you for telling us your age. Anyone who has lived to be 15, has been able to read for almost 10 years,must really know all there is about everything. Grow up and learn, don’t be such a moron.
I realize that the animal rights nutjobs have to go to extremes to further their agenda, but this is utterly absurd. Why simply would the calcium be leached from our bones to neutralize the acid created by metabolizing the protein, when it is readily available in the milk just injested. Use some common sense. My family drinks milk by the gallon, from our cows and we are all athletes, with huge bones.
Thanks to damaged guts and inflammation due to the standard American diet of GMOs and processed “snacks”, people are not properly absorbing calcium from foods like they should be. Its not as simple as a solution as drinking a glass of milk. Besides, why drink milk for calcium when you can eat vegetables that contain more calcium and are better absorbed by the gut.
Enjoy that milk by the gallon. I bet you folks have lots of asthma/allergy/autoimmune problems too. Whats the point in strong bones when they are only strong to carry around a sick body.
Sure, lots of veggies have calcium in them, but the majority of people out there (AKA, people who aren’t vegetarians or vegan) don’t eat nearly enough of those veggies in order to get that same amount of calcium. I know a lot of what they now call “granola” types. And people like to say a lot of things about which foods cause or prevent certain diseases, but the truth is that all foods have their advantages and disadvantages, which is why we eat well-balanced meals. I love milk. LOVE it. I can’t imagine life without it. Soy and almond milks are way too expensive for my poor college student’s and new parent’s budget. And too much soy in your diet is bad for you, too (just as too much of anything is detrimental). Besides, what I’m confused on with this whole “MILK IS THE WORST THING FOR YOU EVER” issue is are we talking straight milk, or all dairy products (Cheese, butter, things with whey, margarine, butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, and did I mention BUTTER?)? Because I can’t think of any non-dairy substitute for butter in baking. Also, is it just cow’s milk, or are we talking about goat milk, as well? Goat milk’s not mentioned once in all of this hubbub, so I’m curious what the “studies” say about that.
Thank you so much for this information. I tried to get hold of your book in South Africa but nobody can help me. I have osteoporosis in my hip and my estrogen is 23. I use Phyto soya, Vit B6, B complex, Heart Health, Omega 3, Calsium with K2, Magnesium, Chondroiton and Glucosamine sulf, Vit A, Vit C, Whey Proteien to build muscle and use Soya milk.
I dont want to use Protos and Estrofem 1 mg, and the doctors hammer me with the use of these drugs. I am scared i dont do enough.
Thanks Karin
Hi Karin,
There is a digital version of the Program available if you’re interested – it is delivered digitally as a pdf file. You can check it out here:
https://secure.saveourbones.com/checkout/singleLoad.do?r=1352754119162&merchantId=A1A
Hmm, maybe you should just drink some milk to get those nutrients instead of putting synthetic drugs in your body
I am really taken aback by the extensive research done on the myth/reality of milk consumption…We Indians have a lot of regard for the Cow and thus Cow’s milk for us is second to none on planet as far as “benefits” are concerned. Therefore, it is particularly very hard for me to digest this fact. I definitely would not like to refute the very facts provided in the article but would certainly like you to go through the scientific analysis and the age-old ayurvedic treasures preserved in my country on the same. In this regard, I would like you to meet with certain rishis (saints) in India who have lived and survived for so many years only on Cow’s milk. They might be in a position to give you their views and facts regarding milk (Cow’s). Thanks anyway for your inputs. I value your comments but am a little confused…
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASEEE watch “Forks Over Knives” if you’re confused about this whole milk situation. And yes, I do get how hard it is when something you’ve grown up with is suddenly torn down. We all have our doubts and scientific evidence would be nice, which is why I highly recommend you watch “Forks Over Knives”. It honestly changed my life.
That’s right! “Fork over knives” shows us the evidence of what we should avoid eating, and why we should avoid those foods(including cows’ milk). A lot of people don’t want to give up milk because they enjoy the taste of milk. But if people know the glass of milk in ur hand contributes to pain for cows that comes from frequent injections and milking, they might consider stop drinking milk.
On the other hand, it’s more important to reduce the amounts of calcium being lost through pH balance in our body. In fact, a lot of Asians don’t drink milk everyday or don’t drink milk at all, they still grow up strong and tall, and many Asian elderly don’t get as much fracture hip or arm from a small fall.
I don’t drink milk for about a year now, not only because milk promotes calcium lost, but also cancer cells growth!! Pls think twice before you consume milk or any dairy products!
I strongly believe commercially manufactured dairy in the USA is damaging for many various reasons; but before the US produced cow dairy this current way, it was used medicinally and considered the perfect food. There is a lot that affects the quality of a mammals milk: What she eats, her environment, her supplements… And of course consider all that happens to the milk before it gets to the super-market. Take a healthy person (who is not lactose-intolerant), give them fresh, raw cows milk from a happy, healthy cow and you’re probably not going to have problems.
This article is so interesting to me………… I’ve always hated milk even when I was very young…….. I do now have Osteopina was diagnosed when I was 51 now I’m 64…… Was given Fosamax until I learned in 2007 that I shouldn’t be taking it. I take calcium and D3……. I refuse to take any of those drugs, I hope others will refuse them as well. My husband has Osteopina as well and he drank lots of milk from childhood into his 30’s and beyond. So there you are milk or no milk you still get this disease. He takes calcium and D3 as well. No Drugs.
I’m replying to my own article because I left out that we have never broken any bones and we also take magnesium supplements along with calcium and D3.
Please explain how milk counts as an acidifying animal protein but yogurt does not. The pH of yogurt is significantly lower (more acidic) than that of milk. The process of fermentation that turns milk into yogurt produces lactic acid, which is what changes the structure of the milk. I’m not disagreeing that the lactobacilli in the yogurt are good for you, I just fail to see any evidence that yogurt is somehow non-acidifying.
This debate has gotten to be so ridicules. What a bunch of pansies.
If you’re looking to cut people down for being wimpy or “sissified”, there are better flowers to compare them to. Pansies are one of the hardiest flowers on the entire planet, so they really don’t suit your purpose here.
My theory is simple listen to your body and your health will be great
I completely agree with this. I have stopped drinking milk a few years ago and I certainly notice the difference. If only I could convince people I know to do the same.
For the past 21 years I’ve drank a gallon of milk every three days. I’m 5’6″ and 118 lbs and healthy as fuuuuuuhck. I don’t exercise, albeit my brisk morning walks to school. Never broken a bone, not even something as small as a fracture (knock on wood,) despite getting hit by a car going 30 mph. My good health is due to my diet which milk has been a huge part of.
Also God gave us milk to drink.It is mentioned in several verses in the Bible.
Raping women is also mentioned in several verses in the bible…not sure what that has to do with all the good information in this article ;]
Marty, get grip. What a moron!
Correction.God gave the calves milk.
I’m pretty sure that’s fiction anyway.
I don’t drink cows milk and did not drink it growing up,except in school from time to time.It was a luxury when I was a kid.I prefer to drink almond milk.I have only broken a finger as a 4 year old.A ballbat will do do that to you.I’m 39 and have never been hospitalized.Even when I took a windshield to the head.My head bent the bar inside the visor.I’m almost never sick.
The dairy industry,I’m willing to bet,pays for these “milk does a body good” studies.
I am all for considering alternatives to dairy. That being said, as a researcher, I like to stick to what’s published. The pH argument has never been proven and is nice in theory. However, the phosphorus in animal foods has been shown to help facilitate calcium absorption.
I don’t believe there’s anything detrimental with consuming a bit of cow’s milk a day; the issue lies in the fact that bone health is not equivocated to dairy. Dairy does not have enough magnesium to properly facilitate absorption. Plant foods with low oxalate contents usually have a a 1:1 ratio of magnesium to calcium, or better and are very absorbable. It’s these foods, like kale, collards, and mustard greens, that should be focused on.
Soy milk can be a decent replacement but the settling of calcium carbonate at the bottom of the container has been shown to be an issue, even if shaken. The phytic acid is in soy has also been shown to have variable effects on calcium absorption.
Besides magnesium, the most substantial reason behind America’s horrible bone health is the lack of exercise. Exercise has been shown to affect bone mineral density in a positive manner. Exercise/activity levels during development are a major determinant of bone density in later life.
Workout, eat dark leafy greens, avoid plant foods with high oxalate content, and consume some dairy if you would like: have healthy bones.
*Sarcasm Activate!*
Hey you are not allowed to speak common sense in here!
This article is based on flawed data. The majority of studies show a positive link between bone health and milk consumption. See this comprehensive review, which debunks the articles cite above:
https://www.jacn.org/content/19/suppl_2/83S.full
“Of 52 investigator-controlled calcium intervention studies, all but two showed better bone balance at high intakes, or greater bone gain during growth, or reduced bone loss in the elderly, or reduced fracture risk. This evidence firmly establishes that high calcium intakes promote bone health.”
That article provides an example from rural Croatia:
“Without a nationwide food distribution system, the diets of the two populations were made up of foods produced locally. The people of one district, with dairy animals, had higher calcium intakes than the other which, without access to dairy foods, had estimated calcium intakes only about half as large. The people of the low calcium (i.e., non-dairy) district had lower bone mass and higher hip fracture rates.”
Milk, no milk. Can’t we all just get along?
Thank you for your well researched and thought out article. Here are my quick thoughts:
Bumper sticker: COW DON’T DRINK MILK, (WHY WOULD YOU?)
And I think back to the cave man. Do you think that you could actually catch a nursing cow, get her to stand still, and get much milk from her very small udder? Wild cattle with calves, are very protective of the calf, and would soon send you back to your cave in great pain.
The ‘modern’ cow is a completely man-made beast, bred to grow a huge unweildy udder. And now we have the GMO factor, the antibiotics, and the other “growth” hormones. It is not actually a “cow” at all, but a living, Man-Made-“Milk-Machine”.
Leave it alone. Milk is highly advertised, like lots of other junk foods. When’s the last time you saw an ad for carrots,etc.
Cheers, ed
Bro, not to hate or anything, but since when did cavemen have it better than we do? Just 100 years ago the average life expectancy was only just over 50 years. Now in 2012 it’s closer to 80. Back when we were hunter-gatherers, people only lived 20-30ish years. I would say today we are more accurately equipped for judging what is healthy, than our somewhat more primitive ancient ancestors.
Try using more recent, better studies for your articles.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/459996-is-milk-linked-to-osteoporosis/
Thank you for your infos.
I am making soy milk for me for over 10 years.
I am now trying to make almond milk and I made once and will try again.
Thank you again
Jenniofer sohn