How Important are Dairy Products, Really?

Ice cream. Yogurt. Milk. Whipped cream. Whey protein. And… don’t say it… CHEESE. Oh man… delicious cheese. All of these are products that most of us consume on a regular basis. But what are the data and studies behind the benefits/harms of these foods? Is it necessary to consume dairy products? Does it help or hurt us? In today’s post, I hope to enlighten you all on the studies that have been done on dairy product consumption, and whether or not it is the best food choice for you to consume. 

Let’s start with going over the basic nutritional needs that we’re told that dairy provides for us. The first word that comes to mind is “calcium.” Vitamin D. Possibly vitamin B12. Advertisers love to throw out “calcium” as the number one reason for why we need to drink dairy milk. But is this claim even accurate? If it is, do the cons outweigh the pros for dairy consumption? If we could get our daily calcium intake without the saturated fat and hormones loaded into milk, should we take it? Dairy advertisers claim that the consumption milk products is the best way to prevent osteoporosis and bone fracture later in life. 

Upon researching the effects of dairy, a couple of key trends stood out. First, there is an overwhelming amount of studies linking dairy to hormone imbalances and cancer. Second, with all factors considered, it seems that there are much healthier ways to consume calcium than by relying on milk, cheese, yogurt, or any other dairy product. Take a look at what we found.

Dairy consumption is linked to hormone imbalances and cancer.[1]

There have been multiple studies linking the hormones in dairy to increasing cancer cell growth, especially in milk and cheese. Contrary to what popular advertising ploys want us to believe, “grass-fed” and “organic” labels do not make a difference in this regard either. One study showed that in 14 different experiments comparing organic dairy milk to plant-based milks, dairy proved to increase prostate cancer cell growth by over 30% on average.[2] In every single one of the experiments performed, cow’s milk increased the growth of the LNCaP prostate cancer cells, while almond milk inhibited the growth by over 30%. In addition to that, another study found that commercial cow milk has very large amounts of estrogens and progesterone, due to recent genetic improvements to dairy cows.[3]This is a concern because certain types of cancers that rely on estrogen to grow such as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer have been closely correlated with the intake of dairy products.[4] Another compound in dairy, 5alpha-P, is a predecessor to prostate cancer and increases sensitivity in breast cancer cells to estrogen.[5] Because there are other sources of calcium and vitamin D, is it worth risking so many hormone-related diseases? Think of it this way: the hormones in milk have naturally evolved to support and feed a baby calf and have it gain a few hundred pounds. As humans, is consumption really the best option for us?

There are better sources of calcium and vitamin D than dairy. Dairy consumption does not equal strong bones.

This means that there are plant-based sources that are better absorbed in the body, have less saturated fat, and contain more vitamins and minerals than dairy milk. I know, I know. Everyone is so used to hearing “drink milk for strong bones!” that this sort of statement might not be well-received. The truth is, dairy companies have done such a great job at marketing their product that skepticism to their claims have hardly risen until recent years. In fact, science and long-term studies have proved the opposite of their statements to be true. Milk consumption has been associated with a higher risk of bone fracture incidents in women.[6] 

Great plant-based sources of calcium include chia seeds, kale, and collard greens. Chia seeds offer 126 mg of calcium per tablespoon, as well as healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for brain and heart health. Kale and collard greens offer up to a fourth of your daily calcium needs per cup cooked, and are low-oxalate, meaning that the calcium is readily absorbed by the body. 

In addition to nutrition, exercise and restricting bone-weakening agents are essential for strong bones.[7] Too much Vitamin A can contribute to the weakening of bones—so it’s important to track how much you’re consuming. Exercise isn’t something people generally connect with having strong bones, but  exercising your body, especially for kids, teens, and young adults, is essential to both muscle and bone strength. 

Moreover, vitamin D is said to have as important as a role in building strong bones as dairy. Our bodies naturally produce vitamin D from sun exposure, and as little as five to 15 minutes could be all one needs to get their daily requirement. In addition, there are fortified breads, cereals, orange juices, and other products that contain vitamin D. Dairy milk is another product that is fortified with vitamin D—it’s not naturally found in it. The good news for us, however, is that we can all get our daily needs from sun exposure. We’ll also always have those fortified foods with vitamin D and supplements as well–two things that don’t have the harmful hormones and chemicals found in milk.

Ultimately, whether you want to consume dairy is your decision. Laid out here are just a few facts and studies that might help improve your health in the future. There are far more nutritious ways to get your calcium and vitamin D needs that don’t run the risk of causing cancer (that’s provided that you wear sunscreen while you’re in the sun for your daily vitamin D production). Keep a lookout for more well-researched nutrition posts in the future!

Resources:

[1] Dermatoendocrinol. 2009 Jan;1(1):12-6. Acne, dairy and cancer: The 5alpha-P link. Danby FW.

[2] Tate PL, Bibb R, Larcom LL. Milk stimulates growth of prostate cancer cells in culture. Nutr Cancer. 2011;63(8):1361-6.

[3] K. Maruyama, T. Oshima, and K. Ohyama. Exposure to exogenous estrogen through intake of commercial milk produced from pregnant cows. Pediatr Int, 52(1):33-38, 2010.

[4] Qin, LQ, Wang, PY, Kaneko, T, Hoshi, K, Sato, A. Estrogen: One of the risk factors in milk for prostate cancer. Med. Hypotheses 2003; 62: 133– 42.

[5]Danby, 12.

[6] Michaëlsson, K., Wolk, A., Langenskiöld, S., Basu, S., Warensjö Lemming, E., Melhus, H., & Byberg, L. (2014). Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: Cohort studies. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 349(Oct27 1), G6015.

[7] https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-and-milk/