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
The Milky Bar kid is strong and tough…’or is he? 😉 I’d like to see more research done into the issue of cows with mastitis and the 4 million infected pus cells per teaspoonful of cow’s milk. The calcium depletion is bad enough, but may be just the tip of the iceberg. Farmers won’t like this, but questions need to be answered here! Don’t expect a mad rush though! Seen this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK6KSKL3HQc
Although more convincing than other health claim sites I still find the ‘white coat’ and Readers Digest style marketing off putting. Anecdotal evidence (with pretty low improvements) from people who are most likely changing other factors at the same time means nothing. I’m not sure how to get the message across if this is a genuine finding (maybe scientific journals?), but this way does not impress me – it just smacks of an internet get rich quick scheme. – Sorry.
Hello,
I’m wondering if raw organic goat milk (which I believe is very similiar to human milk is acceptable?
Hi. Now I’m concerned and confused; although I do beleive in what you have written in this article. My daughter is 12 months old and we’re gradually switching her formula for regular milk (3.25%). Babies need milk no? Or is it that they need the soothing comfort of a warm bottle? Should I be trying soy or almond milk instead at such a young age?
If you have the answer I would greatly appreciate some advice.
Thanks
Hi Nika! When it comes to the nutritional needs of infants, your pediatrician is the one to ask. 🙂 If possible, a naturopathic or wholistic doctor would be more likely to be educated on the latest milk news. I hope your little one thrives and grows into a healthy child and adult!
I bookmarked this article, I thought it was great. Giving up dairy, and going completely vegan was by far the best thing I’ve ever done for my body, my mind, and even my spirit, I have such mental clarity, I feel so strong, I’m never tired, have never had so much energy, my hair and nails grow so long, they never did that before. I guess I never really noticed how terrible I felt until I didn’t feel it anymore. Gawd if you guys only knew how great you could feel. I wish everyone could feel this. Just some food for thought.oxoxo<3
Glad to hear you’re so full of vibrant energy! 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKu2n4dMMCM This guy has been studying the adverse effects of dairy for some time. I cannot say he is right in ALL his accusations, but he has enough to say that it makes it worth looking into.
I love milk and drink it everyday. My bones are very strong and Ive been healthy my entire life. I will not ever stop drinking milk.
Who says your bones are strong ? You think milk is the reason you are healthy ? This was a great article….very informative….and unless you are a baby cow….you should try the almond milk…my family has been enjoying it for years, and now…it is easy to find. Most grocery stores have it…and it is priced the same as milk. So maybe expand your pallet…and give it a try….even thou you are healthy, and love milk that was intend for a cow.
with all this scientific BS in the last few decades are we really that better off. People being sick and unhealthy are more so then what they used to be. If my body wants milk I’ll drink it. Apart from sleep deprivation and a few headaches from incessant computer use (self-inflicted) I have not been sick in months and when I do get sick it last a day and I’m fine for another few months. Trust you body if you have an urge for milk trust it. Steer clear of truly unhealthy stuff like the urge for chocolate. To conclude most unhealthiness is the shit we mix with the milk not the milk itself – much could be said about most things. Coffee is my poison 🙂
I’ve been drinking milk for years also and my bones are also strong. Need a jpg of a 265 pound man with 21 inch arms?
Posts arrives so you may want new categories do?
Vivian,
this article is excellent. I have always thought these same things about milk but I never knew how to explain it to people. thank you for this. I also like the way that you don’t fault people for drinking milk, we were just always taught it was healthy in America. But people don’t need to keep drinking it forever if they allow themselves to get the right info. I’m going to check out some of your other articles.
sincerely,
B. Dellinger
Hello everyone on the forum!
Y la leche de Camella, que se han demostrado sus saludables cualidades?,
I like your comments
I had read awhile back that the reason the body pulls calcium out of the bones, leading to osteoporosis, is due to an imbalance of magnesium. Keep a healthy balance between calcium and magnesium and you should be ok. I gave up milk years ago and feel great-no joint pain.
how is milk bad for your bone it help our bone
I’m not sold on this yet. I’m watching a documentary film about it tonight so I’ll make my mind up soon enough. Is this just another thing for Vegans to spout off about, though? My parents have been drinking milk for 60+ years and they’re fine and dandy. Should we all be running into the streets screaming, “WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!” or, again, is it just Vegans trying to be smart arses?
It’s actually neither. The point that should be made is that the standard North American diet has become incresingly acidic over the years. Dietary acids have to be nutralized by the body as they can effect celular health. One way to do it – and there are others – is for the body to use it’s stored calcium to rebalance the celular environment. The problem with articles like this is they are more propoganda than fact. Now, for full disclosure, I am a long time Vegan. I personally believe that cows milk is for baby cows, not humans. The reality from a purely nutritional standpoint is that milk on it’s own is not terribly acid forming. If you drink 4 or more cups a day, then things may be a little different (cummulative effects). The bigger culprits here are concentrated dairy products (hard cheeses), meat products (beef, poultry, fish) as well as most cereal grains (Vegan soul food!).
The point that articles like this should be making is that there is a concern for calcium loss when you are a consumer of many high acid forming products and not a consumer of alkaline forming foods (Fruits and vegetables), as most North American’s are. The take home should be: reduce the amount of heavy protein foods and add more fruits and vegetables.
And yes, some of this is propaganda. I would like nothing more than for people to stop eating animals or drinking their milk. But I, personally, don’t think ‘scaring’ people into it is the best way. That said, “it does a body good” is a only a marketing message.
Cheers
Milk is a basic solution. Its pH is an 8 to a 9 max.
I am glad to hear that your parents are so healthy. Not everyone is going to have same ill effects from dairy. My mom is 70 and has Osteoporosis and dad is 72 with Osteoarthritis. Maybe if they didn’t consume dairy all their lives they would not have these?
The bottom line is drinking another animals dairy as adults is something that humans only do for pleasure. And it is the number 1 food intolerance for humans. Also be careful who you get your information from, the dairy industry is a huge huge money maker and the government is in bed with them. Heck the government even tries to cover that fact that pesticides are very bad for us causing cancer and poor brain development in children. Pesticides killing the bees and other important insects off in massive amounts, while the government says they don’t know why, well DUH.
But do what you want, it is your life and the many lives of innocent animals, but at least have the courage to educate yourself on factory farms if you haven’t already.
I’m not sold on this yet. I’m watching a documentary film about it tonight so I’ll make my
How about hemp milk? Hemp is an extraordinary plant very nutrient rich and omega 3 and omega 6 balanced perfectly. It’s also delicious.
Excellent choice 🙂
My mom has been drinking tons of milk her whole life and she was diagnosed with osteoporosis about 10 years ago. She is 61 now. Her doctor told her to stop drinking milk so I think there is some truth to this article.
Here’s a thought folks… how about you drop that awful habbit and start eating more whole raw fruits and vegetables? The problem with milk (pasturized) is that it is hard to digest, if you drank raw milk then there would be no problem whatsoever becase it has all the bacteria you need to digest it properly. Moreso, why are you people so obsessed with milk? Did your mother neglect you or something? Or is it because the milk industry has hammerd the thought into your head that you MUST have milk or you will suffer from bone diseases? Think about that one for a second…
The problem with bone diseases today is BECAUSE people drink too much pasteurized (unnatural) milk while also NOT eating enough fruits and vegetables that has all the amino acids you need to create protein within your body. That’s right, fruits and vegetables has protein, calcium and magnesium and many other minerals and vitamins your body needs to stay in optimal health.
Please reconsider you opinions about milk and check out this site:
https://divinerawfoods.com/node/45
I think that we are obsessed with Milk because it is delicious tasting and also provides us with those carbohydrates and sugars that we are craving. Also, if you are a coffee drinker or love ice cream, avoiding milk will be a tough one.
There are plenty alternative options to milk for all products. I have eaten different brands of cheese, yogurt and icecream, all plant based. I just had some cookie dough ice cream the other day that was made from coconut milk and it was better than a lot of other ice cream I have ever had. The options are out there, it’s looking for them that takes getting used to.
I had all that before. My job old job sells it. It doesn’t taste the same. I think instead of BS aruging, I think we can agree, “moderation is key”.
And why are we the only animal to consume the breast milk of another species of animal. Milk is designed to feed an infant of that same animal not anyone who comes along and decides to put it in a bottle.
We are also the only animal that has come up with quantum physics, agriculture, engineering, and yoga. That argument is inane. Milk is perfectly safe and nutritious. It doesn’t acidify your bones. Milk is pretty much a neutral pH. That’s around 7 for anyone who skipped high school chemistry. I’ve drank two – three glasses a day my whole life and despite participating in sports have never broken a bone. This is new wave / pseudoscience to be lumped in with the other lies like gluten is bad for you too.
I don’t think it says that it acidify’s your bones… Its saying that it acidifies the body, and as a result the body needs to neutralize, calcium being a good acid neutralizer, it is taking from the bones because it is rich in calcium.
calcium has a pH of an 8-9, which is the max solution. Unless HCL is added per mg then it becomes incresingly acidic. Milk actually buffers to a certain point. Its not as good as sodium bicarb though.
I was raised on raw cow’s milk in Switzerland! And I have very strong bones – am 70 years old. In those days, cows did not receive the amount of medicines they are today. Today I live in West Africa and I have a cow boy who regularly brings raw cow’s milk to me. Their cows are strictly grass fed and receive no chemicals whatsoever. There is no milk industry here because of the tropical climate and they do not need to increase milk production with chemicals. I think I have a good deal here ……
Good information with stuff I didn’t no about milk , but I’m gonna honest and I say I’m still gonna drink milk it’s never caused me or my family any problems and ive been drinking it all my life and I’m 54 now And ive never broke a bone in my body , i ve lived an active life played rugby every week upto when I was 45 and boxed into my mid 30s and can honestly say I’ve never had any health problems so I’m still gonna drink my 3pints a day until its proven that “MILK CAN KILL YOU” cus im pretty sure milk related deaths in the last 100yrs or even more has gotta be low or near on 0 compared to many other drinks available on the market, so all gotta say is “each to there own” if you enjoy milk made out of nuts and soya beans cus u think it’s gonna make u live longer then crack on but til the day someone drops dead from drinking cows milk! I’m still gonna enjoy it everyday.
“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly” is cited in a 1999 study, “Pilot case-control investigation of risk factors for hip fractures in the urban Indian population” that came the exact opposite conclusion. It reads as follows:
Univariate analysis identified protective effects for increased activity, exercise, calcium and vitamin supplements, almonds, fish, paneer (cottage cheese), curd (plain yogurt), and milk. However, tea and other caffeinated beverages were significant risk factors
So the 1994 study says that milk is associated with increase risk of hip fracture and that caffeine and alcohol aren’t, but the 1999 study says that milk is associated with decreased risk of fracture and that caffeine and alcohol are associated with increased risk, just the opposite.
The Save our Bones article does not present convincing evidence that milk causes hip fractures.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20226091
You just have to use common sense here. We don’t need to consume dairy for good health, it is that simple. The dairy industry is a huge money maker, also that simple. And the factory farm animals are so abused, it is that simple.
You don’t need science to proof anything here. Just Think!!!
my question is this. what do i drink as replacement for milk? for the nutrients and protein especially since im an active athlete i need a replacement for all the nutrients and protein that ill lose when i stop drinking milk. you said almond milk but i am allergic to nuts. any other drink that can replace milk as effectively?
Milk is noting more than liquid meat and contains the same anti-biotics and hormones that meat does. You do not need as much protein as people are telling you that you do. It is a myth. Bulls, horses, oxen, rhino, elephants do not eat meat or drink milk at maturity. Hemp protein is a good source of complete protein. Pea protein and quinoa are all plant based “complete” protein sources. Nuts, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta all have protein. Spirulina is an algea and contains the highest protein content per weight of anything on the planet. Google vegan body builders and their diets.
Almond milk makes a great replacement, and the flavor isn’t as different from cows milk as soy milk is.
There is also soy, flax, coconut and rice milks, it all depends on where you’re looking for it. I currently have a flax protein+ milk that I use for my cereal and I have coconut milk yogurts with the same active cultures, calcium and magnesium as regular yogurt. No complaints here and I’ve been a milk drinker until 2 weeks ago.
I am on a conquest for truth, I have ventricular arrhythmia/acute myocardial infarction. It has caused my heart to stop pumping on three seperate occasions. I have been told to eat right and it will heal my heart.
What is eatin right? I have been told to eat meat, then told not to eat meat. I have been told to eat vegetables, then told not to cook them, only eat them raw. I cannot eat greens because it does not work well with blood thinners. Same thing with sugar, bread, milk, salt.
I would like to see clinical studies with all the evidence presented on an equal basis. Stop telling me things are bad for me and start proving them.
Yes I have watched the movie Forks over Knives; even though they show a very conviencing diet I am still not 100% sold on this diet of eating nothing but greens. What would happen if we all started with smaller portions; watched our sugar and salt intake and started exercising more. Has anybody done a study on this. Rich
Thank you, Rich. I am a bit discouraged by how easily some people are convinced by this article despite its little evidence. I also appreciate that you want the truth and are intelligent enough to realize that most modern nutritional studies are inconclusive or poorly done. Nutritionists need to produce new results, though, in order to keep moving in their careers. As a result, people are constantly told radical things like in the above article. One study shows eggs are bad, the other shows eggs are good, and then they have to do studies on the methodologies of those two studies. The answer is to just cut back and try to eat a balanced diet! People need to stop being so anxious! And remember to let go every once in a while to enjoy food! (While still being responsible if you have a disease).
I get where you’re coming from. There is so much conflicting info that it’s difficult to tell whats good and not good. Really a lot of things are bad for us today, simply because we over process everything and are constantly modifying and adding chemicals to foods. Really the best diet would be a balanced mix of foods that are mostly raw, unsalted and organically grown/raised. Raw veggies/fruits/nuts/legumes organically grown are technically the best diet because they offer the most nutrients on a fewer amount of calories. Cooked foods are slightly worse but not bad, only because cooking foods lower the amount of nutrients you can get from that food.
Vegucated is a good movie to watch as well although I haven’t seen Fork over Knives so I can’t give you a good comparison. I currently switched my diet to a vegan diet and I feel great. On the way to adding more raw/organic ingredients to my diet but not there yet.
Great article, but it would have been great to have had the facts so that people can verify for themselves.
The pH of milk in a cup is not the point. During digestion the pH of cows milk becomes more acidic(lower pH) To maintain a healthy blood pH adjustments are made to keep the BpH in a safe range. One way to raise the pH of the blood is to add Ca++. If the Blood pH is rising Ca++ can be removed, but instead of going back into the bone stores, it is excreted by the kidneys. Better to loose calcium than to destroy your kidneys.
foods and drinks can’t alter the PH levels in your blood. next.
Thank you so much for this very insightful web page and knowledge that you offer. There is so much misinformation that needs to stop being shared publicly so that our nation can do something about all of this. We literally are poisoning ourselves with the consumption of animal products, only because our food corporations have everyone brain washed, they control politicians with campaign money, they control the food pyramid… its ridiculous and absurd! Awareness is the start of a revolution. Consuming animal products is completely a cultural phenomenon that needs to end yesterday.
What utter non-nonsense.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5888160/A-pint-of-milk-a-day-cuts-chances-of-heart-disease-and-stroke.html
I don’t really care what studies say, I am no fool. Drinking dairy from other animals is weird, and very unnatural.
We do not need it for good health
The factory farm animals are terribly abused, and dairy cows are at the top of the list.
Also the dairy industry is a huge huge money maker, and doesn’t money rule all?
Just Think!!
*Udder nonsense
But milk isn’t that acidic..?
It has a pH of 6.5-ish, which makes it -barely- acidic. I can’t imagine something 0.5 pH off of water causes all that much damage to your bones.
I drink milk and eat Nonfat Yogurt and resist the urge to change,but the pH of the milk in my cup is not the point. The change that occurs during digestion and absorption into the blood stream is the problem. Blood is maintained in a narrow pH by the use of buffers. One buffer is Ca++; calcium from bone stores, it raises the blood pH to counter the addition of pH lowering substances ie. protein. When the protein is removed from the blood the pH rises and the Ca++ is removed by the kidneys and does not return to the bone stores. This is the price we pay for protein and why we need to balance this with calcium adsorption.
Milk and other protein foods are not necessarily acidic, but make the blood acidic. I guess it is due to the nature of braking down the protein into amino acids process in the body.
1 more point, why use ‘can cause severl cancers’ your just trying to scare monger there, any time i see this in an article it looses all credibility for me.
@I have drank milk since i was a baby, im now 26 years old. I must drink 3 to 4 pints a day and guess what, i am very healthy and have never broke a bone in my body, I do downhill mountain biking (fall off going very fast regularly) and also Judo not exactly the safest of sports where bones are concerned.
Once again i have NEVER broke a bone and am very healthy, where does your ‘evidence’ come from exactly and who were the test patients Osteogenesis sufferes?.
Read the “Statistics” section here…
https://www.4.waisays.com/ExcessiveCalcium.htm
Coincidence??
Just one of the many questionable quotes in your article,VeganGirl, says, “Compared to other countries, the most milk is consumed in Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and The Netherlands (300 to 400 kg / cap / year), and osteoporosis incidence in these countries has sky rocketed.”
Why has the incidence of osteoporosis skyrocketed in countries that have historically always consumed a lot of milk? Don’t you think they’d always have a high rate? Perhaps there is something we’ve recently started doing that explains why osteoporosis rates are going up.
Dude you are young! Keep drinking it and in about 10-20 years you will have problems. Watch the documentary “Forks Over Knives.” It’s on NetFlix!
I’m 54 today, and I’m still drinking milk every morning since young. I took many falls during my first skiing lesson at the age of 51 and nothing broken.
I only take decaffinated coffee with milk during tea-time. I only drink herbal tea after dinner. So, I will still continue to drink milk unless you can convince me that MILK can KILL.
BTW, my gynecologist did a “scan of my bones” last year and said that they are normal, for my age.
From what I’ve read here, isn’t it safe to say that if your diet is giving you enough calcium and magnesium or other bone strengthening nutrients from other sources it could be possible that you never see adverse effects? Just a thought, but I would like to see a study done with people that eat dairy with a healthy diet, eat dairy with an unhealthy diet, and don’t eat dairy but get enough of the nutrients from their healthy diet. I wonder which group would turn out better?
the argument pertaining to; the acidity of milk harming bones and how cows milk can only benefit the bones of its own species, is hard to follow considering the acidity of human and cow milk is the same. Would’nt the similar pH levels in human milk drain calcium just as the cows milk supposedly does?
I drink milk and eat Nonfat Yogurt and resist the urge to change,but the pH of the milk in my cup is not the point. The change that occurs during digestion and absorption into the blood stream is the problem. Blood is maintained in a narrow pH by the use of buffers. One buffer is Ca++; calcium from bone stores, it raises the blood pH to counter the addition of pH lowering substances ie. protein. When the protein is removed from the blood the pH rises and the Ca++ is removed by the kidneys and does not return to the bone stores. This is the price we pay for protein and why we need to balance this with calcium adsorption.
stuuuupid, then why is Holland the country with the tallest people, and they consume milk daily?
Wow.. I’m really not trying to be rude or anything so please don’t call me an idiot.. I’m not so much interested in this article as I am the comments that fallow. I am an omnivore and I am happy about my choice because it is MY choice. Imposing my ideas onto others by combating them with shallow responses and insults is not my style. I am all for shutting down industrial farms that keep the animals contained in small confinements and pumped full of bs (excuse my harsh abbreviation) but I feel as tho I may not be welcome to support this cause. I consume the very things that your faction believes to be offensive and disgusting. As much as I would love to apologies for this I can’t because I don’t see things the same way. I believe in being enlightened in the fact that everyone is different therefor your ideas don’t apply to everyone and being as such doesn’t mean you have to be on the offensive when someone wants to challenge your beliefs. Instead of demeaning others and putting them down how about enlightening those with opposing views and understanding their opinions as well. Instead of calling someone names because you don’t agree with them how about indulging in discussion and friendly debate about the matter. After all if people are looking to gain respect and want to be taken seriously by others who could In fact share like views, slinging mud and beating your chest isn’t going to get anyone far. I am by no means singling anyone out or trying to seem like I know more then anybody, I would just simply enjoy to be able to regain my faith in mankind. We are intelligent creatures the least we can do is show it. We are animals with the power of cognitive thought and we are better then the petty insults and disregard for differences that I have witnessed in these comments. Let’s remember that even tho we are different we are still made of the same things. We all have the ability to get along and help each other.. The ability to indulge ourselves in being able to get the heck over it.
Thank you for posting this. This information needs to be shared as the decades of brainwashing done by the dairy industry has got to be reversed. For all you doubters out there, just read The China Study by Colin T. Campbell or watch the Forks Over Knives movie. Their research findings are based on 20 to 30 years of research that studied hundreds of thousands of people! How can that be wrong? Almond milk is a fantastic substitute and can be made at home quite easily from fresh almonds, using a blender. It’s time for a change and I hope you can all take the first step towards better health.
Amen.
Yes. We should all watch more documentaries. Even if you don’t have any plans to change your diet you should at least stay informed. Vegucated was good as well.
Almond milk is not a healthy alternative to milk.There are multiple additives in it that are very unhealthy,as a matter of fact.Just look at the labels!I really can’t take the theory about milk seriously,especially when the same person recommends almond milk!
Try making your own almond milk….it’s easy.
I have been taking medication against osteoporosis for a number of years and lately had to stop taking Protolos as they made me dizzy. I was told to replace by a six monthly injection. Am in a dilemma whether to continue with this medication. At 61 yrs of age my bone density is just low on the hip.
what happen to the calcium content of the milk? is it not absorbed by the body after digestion of milk?
What about the carrageenan (sp) in almond milk which causes headaches in some people, like me?
I seen that too about the blue diamond almond milk and I stopped buying it but HEB has their own brand that doesn’t contain this. I hope this helps cause Almond Milk is the best
There was a restaurant in the UK that was selling ice cream made from human milk as a speciality. Guess what – H & S took it off the menu over concerns it was unfit for human consumption!
There is alot of BS in this article.
I’m only going to puncture your theory by stating one fact that is well known to everybody who has read physiology.
I don’t even know if milk actually rises blood pH. But lets take your word for it, as a lot of our food today is a bit acidic (coke, fruits&juices, vegetables, even the youghurt you mentioned).
The body is using bicarbonate as a main buffer to fight acidity of the blood and not calcium as you mentioned.
The postprandial lowering of blood pH by protein cannot be offset by co2 removal alone. Bone stores supply calcium and suffer a net loss of calcium in the process. Better bone loss than kidney failure.
Wow, this is scary. The stuff the author quoted is from the 90’s, yet growing up in junior hs, and hs I remember posters of “Got milk” EVERYWHERE!!!! This makes me think the government is seriously corrupt, why would they blab about milk being so good in PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHEN THEY KNEW IT WAS BAD?!?! So the people controlling cow farms, insurance companies (for when our bones start to fuck up, and digestive system goes nuts) and drug companies can all benefit from a huge population of sick people!! Generations and generations of profits! I <3 society.
PS I graduated high school about 4 years ago. That is why i mentioned the quoted material dates.
so let me understand you, the gov wants a sick country so that we cannot work, cannot gain an income, and cannot ‘buy’ drugs, so that the drug companies can benefit? Sounds illogical to me. Not sure where this website is base but in the UK sick days cost the economy £6.5bn, not sure they would want that to increase realy do you?
major food corporations have a lot of money that they use to help fund political campaigns. And obviously these politicians will give beneficial favors to the companies who helped get them elected. It isn’t illogical at all. It’s all about money. Our health is not a concern at all to those who run our country.
Didnt you understand anything? They would lose more money eventually because of sick people that cant work.
Also soy milk SUCKS. It made me fart like hell.
My brother always says he never trusts anything that is ‘promoted by a bunch of celebrities’ and I’d have to agree with him. And why do they need to pay millions of dollars to run a ‘got milk’ ad during the superbowl? Those ads aren’t there because the gov cares about our health, if that was the case then they would have ‘got broccoli?’ campaigns that fund produce farms. No, those ads are about making money and possibly yes, making us sick. Most side effects wouldn’t show up until we were old anyway so why not? They want us to use these products while we are young so we grow up using them, use them for the rest of our lives and then suffer from diseases later. It’s a good plan if you ask me.
Hi, I’m new to the forum. I live in your country for 4 months so I apologize for the mistakes in the writing . Hello everyone and I hope that I can talk with you and learn additional languages :)
Milk is not neutral for your health. There is much more scientific data proving that it is bad than the research findings that it is good. I highly recommend this eye opening lecture by Professor Dr Walter Veith:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9XuYRoqo1A
I hope the link works, if it doesn’t just copy and paste into your browser (I am not too good with computers).
I hope it will provide a lot of answers to many questions posed in this forum.
As for goat milk I am sure that Professor Veith will say it is not good for your health, his view is quite simple: people are created as plant eaters.
Happy living to everyone.
Absolutely! Why would we have canine teeth and the ability to digest flora and fauna if not! (I realize sarcasm is lost online so I’ll clarify: what you said doesn’t make any sense.)
Very interesting article but i was wondering where do u stand on drinking goat milk or eating its cheese
Hi Armando,
While some people do find that goat’s milk is easier to digest (especially people who are lactose-intolerant), I still do not advocate drinking it on a regular basis. After all, it’s still an animal’s milk, and humans are not goats any more than we’re cows!
yeah I believe this article so much.. because those results that mentioned above were being hide by someone for a business reason.. such an evil and disgusting reason for me actually.. but those things are the truth.. no one can ignore them.. just wait till somebody or maybe the government who going to publish another bad effects of milk.. just put a simple logic in your mind.. we’re human’s children not animal’s children.. thanks for your braveness( for the writer )to share the truth.. God Bless You.. I hope the lies among the people around the world about milk going to an end sooner..
Okay, so calves eventually stop drinking cow’s milk. Guess what? They also don’t drink carbonated soft drinks. They also don’t eat bacon and eggs. Watermelon also isn’t part of their normal diet either.
Exactly…
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT CALVES, humans lose most of the lactose enzyme needed for the breakdown and utilization of milk after the age of two. Ilearned this in school for chinese medicine and I am a bio science major. milk is not really that good for you in mass quantities.
We would be a lot healthier if we didn’t consume those things. True different bodies are built to consume different things, but judging by the percentage of obese and sick people in America, I’d say we were definitely consuming the WRONG things.
Misquotes articles (which constitutes plagiarism), has no idea how plasma pH is regulated.
FRAUD!!! You have been warned.
Is she misquoting or simply paraphrasing or using summary it is not plagiarism if you use those techniques. You may want to take a public speaking class and learn the format before you accuse. COM 105 at any college will help you see the difference Anthony.
YOU SUCK
and your just stupid, your reply is not even intelligent.
I absolutely agree with this article. Us human being do not have the same digestive system as cow’s digestive system and humans cannot disgest cow’s milk. Therefore can’t process the calcium or protein or anything is cow’s milk…… I am so surprised in this country how many kids drink 2 or three or more glasses of milk a day! In baby formula too! I had to fight the lunch supervisor at school because she would force my kids to drink their milk at lunch!!
You wonder why there is calcium in milk ?
Eat grass like cows do!
Translation for humans: Eat green vegetables, you will have lots of calcium you can process for your bones.
Anyhow, great article. Thanks.
Someone with an intelligent mind, I agree too we should at the very least limit our dairy consumption if we can’t avoid it altogether. Moderation and balance is wise.
I agree with lydia
Dr. Epstein’s 1996 paper mentioned in this article was a beneficial study for it pointed out issues in the Food and Drug Administration research. Saying, that IGF-1 in rBGH milk MAY be a potential risk factor for both breast and gastrointestinal cancer, however Epstein admits that currently “critical information on a wide range of potentially adverse health effects of IGF-1 is still unavailable” and suggests further research. For this article to base its argument that rRBH milk increases risk of cancer is un-scientific, for newer papers have found no link. In fact both Chagas et al 2012 and Parodi 2005 concluded that milk does not increase the risk of breast cancer. Chagas et al 2012 goes on to say that milk among other dairy products actually reduces the chance of breast, bladder and colon cancer, nor does it increase the risk of prostate cancer. The study suggests that the recommended daily allowance of milk and other dairy products is safe and in fact beneficial. Parodi 2005 provides evidence from more than 40 case-control studies and 12 cohort studies, all supporting no association between dairy product consumption and the risk of breast cancer.” For Vivian Goldschmidt to base her argument against cow’s milk on such out of date evidence is highly misleading.
Furthermore, Schuette et al 1982, Hu et al 1993, Heaney et al 2003, McCabe et al 2004, Baran et al 2005, Jay and Forrest 2010 and Josse et al 2012 are all studies which show a beneficial effect of cow’s milk on bone health. Additionally, Tavani et al 1995 and Chan et al 1995 both found that dairy products did not have a significant negative association with hip bone fractures. The papers mentioned in this article on fracture risk in relation to calcium both suggest further research into their findings about the negative effect of cow’s milk on bone health. Feskanich et al 1997 suggests it may be something else in women’s diet or the milk’s protein. Newer research has established that it is not the milk’s protein, nor its acidity, for although dairy foods are of animal origin they are actually alkaline ash. Whereas other animal products including different kinds of meat, fish and eggs have predominantly acid-forming elements and are prone to produce acids in the body. This links animal protein and non-dairy animal protein to urinary calcium excretion. However, Jay and Forrest 2010 and Schuette et al 1982 both found that a high-protein diet with adequate calcium, fruits and vegetables is beneficial for bone health and osteoporosis prevention. Therefore it is not the acidifying proteins found in milk which reduces calcium in the bones as milk is ash neutral but non-dairy proteins and animal meat, which causes increase calcium in urine. This can be compensated by increasing calcium intake.
Of course there are many studies which find no evidence that milk increases bone density and reduces fractures: Lanou et al 2005, Weinsier and Krumdieck 2000 and Owusu et al 1997. However, these papers do not say that milk increases fractures just that cow’s milk has no affect on bone health. Even so the evidence behind milk reducing the chance of cancer and providing essential vitamins and minerals for those with poor diets far out ways the potential neutral non damaging affect milk may have on bone structure (Weaver et al 2009).
so you are actually ADMITING that their is NO studies that show that either you or the authour is right.. becaues u state over and over that More Research is Needed… but i say : if their is a studdy that “may” prove that milkproducts are bad for your bones, this is something worth to report, as a journalist; keepeing quiet about what you may or may not discover is a felony against society! if you keep quiet your as bad as the coperations whom own 95% of all researchers (aka many ppl say milk is good for your bones: becaues they get payed to say it, some even are brainwashed to actually believe it…!)
so stop attacking people you find on the internet. if a doctor say something “may be dangerous” he knows people are gonna use that sentence. thats why doctors and sientists usualy keep their mouth shut, especially when it comes to other humans well-fare.
I agree that it is important to talk about any scientific findings weather positive or negative on any subject. But it is also important to have a balance of evidence as well as evidence that is up to date. Which is why I mentioned the above papers for the majority of them are more recent and have found different results. If there are more up to date scientific papers that state that cow’s milk is bad for your health I will be happy to read them. All the papers I have mentioned have been peered reviewed and although I have not checked all authors the ones I have are staff at university and therefore not owned by the corporations.
Thank you Donna, for digging and finding more up to date studies. So many people on this site seem to have an agenda or are basing their beliefs on old, cherry picked studies. I am interested in the most current truth so that I can make an intelligent decision. Thank you again for your contribution.
Does any of this change the ‘fact’ that milk causes our body to leach calcium out of our bones?
The main focus should be on why North Americans have such a high rate of osteoporosis and heart disease (yes there is a connection). It is because the vast majority of us are deficient in Vitamin K2 which is responsible for directing the transport and deposition of calcium where it belongs; in our bones and NOT in, but OUT of our arteries where it leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease, and worse. Get K2 from supplements, sauerkraut, Gouda or Brie cheese, preferably goats’ cheese, goose liver, etc. Without K2 our proteins are unable to take the calcium to our bones.
https://www.ehow.com/about_5414926_vitamin-food-sources.html
Yes, because the studies listed about dairy protein and calcium in bones say that milk does not leach calcium from you bones.
Congrats on the way you replay, your words are truly supported by scientific data.
Thank you.
Vivian Dear – Ignoring the poor grammar that’s MUCH more than compensated for in your simple, forthright style and FACTUALLY foundation-rich information in virtually EVERY line of text, , I =MUST= congratulate your outgoing, seemingly spontaneous enthusiasm on behalf of the greater majority of North Americans whom over-all, are intentionally ignorant in the midst of their singularly specific health dilema that regardless, again, your publications have MORE than compensated for “BY SIMPLY BEING THERE”, by being readily available to the needy public whom in most casez, however sadly, are more desirous of a “Quick-Fix”, than a permanent, long-term solution. Very probably you’re aware that YOUR BONES health focus and directly related, 360 degree perspective, has a much needed and positive body chemistry repercussion that in most cases, results in much improved health in various other body parts; obviously, when the skeletal structure is well maintained, the effectually positive spin-offs accordingly are numerous and far reaching. While typing this note, I’ve been attempting to think of an entirely conducive manner in which to include mention of your SOBP book in song and send it to you as a much needed compliment. FYI, as his musician, I do all the composing, arranging, and production work for everything you can hear at http://www.ezrasohf.com He’s a naturalist also & a previous herbalist. I’ll be sending him this page address, knowing that in fact, he’ll be thrilled and repeatedly mentioning your book when on stage. Althoh previously aware of many of the facts you’re publishing, we hadn’t the where-with-all of their organically based foundations and how they all so neatly fit together as obviously was designed and engineered thus. Archie
To start anything with “ignoring the poor grammar” shows the world that you, Archie, are a rude, self important, egotistical, cockend.
Is that really all you got from Archie’s comments?
Archie if I could upvote you, I would. Very well written and scientifically concluded. I had a suspicion this article was grounded on nitpicking from journal entries, and I was not wrong.
“ignoring the poor grammar”
Go back to school, child.
As opposed to, (note use of comma to indicate a pause for breath)…
Go, Back, to, School; CHILD.
Do that and you might learn how to write in a way that actually makes you look like you understand grammar at all. Then you can tell people that they have poor grammar and not come off looking like a complete ass.
This is, of course, ignoring the fact that nothing you have just said actually makes any sense.
Yes, your article is absolutely correct in all the sense, A cows milk’s molecular structure can never be recognized by our Human enzymes.Simple as that. Cows milk is for the calf not designed for we Humans. All Animal protiens tht we cosume will cause deadly cellular changes inside our body and finally Opening the ways to cancer..
Finally someone who knows a little microbiology and molecular design. Yes this is very true milk that is from a cow is for a cow and so forth. Mothers milk from humans is for human babies and is needed for the first years of life. Very logical indeed.