A new study just published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association intended to prove that drinking milk prevents bone disease.
However, careful review of that study only proves that the dairy industry will go to great lengths to commit scientific fraud and then continue to market their calcium milk myth.
In addition to an extremely biased bone study, details of which are revealed in this column, the dairy industry inadvertently published the most self-incriminating scientific paper in their history. Dairy scientists have admitted that the level of a very powerful hormone contained in milk, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), increases in the human body after milk consumption.
In the last two years, IGF-I has been identified as the key factor in the growth and proliferation of various cancers including prostate cancer (SCIENCE - January, 1998), breast cancer (THE LANCET - May, 1998), and lung cancer (JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE - January, 1999). However, scientists at the Food and Drug Administration have previously (incorrectly) argued that this powerful growth hormone in milk did not survive digestion and cannot alter human blood chemistry.
Now that the evidence is in, the scientific community has proof of how wrong government regulators were in approving the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH). Milk from cows treated with rbGH contains increased levels of IGF-I.
THE DAIRY SCIENTISTS
Robert Heaney, MD, is the senior author of the dairy industry financed study.
He co-published his paper with seven other researchers, including Suzanne Oparil, and Susan Barr. I first identified these three doctor/scientists by writing about them in "MILK-The Deadly Poison." On page four of my book, I reveal that this trio is listed together on the reverse of a milk mustache brochure as "dairy experts." They have very strong ties to dairy industry dollars. It is no coincidence that these three individuals participated in a new study, critical to the dairy industry. In order to continue to market their calcium milk myth, the dairy industry planned, financed, and now is promoting this study. On Friday October 1, 1999, a press release announced:
"ADDING MILK TO DAILY DIETS SLOWS BONE BREAKDOWN IN OLDER ADULTS"
The dairy industry-financed study was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The American Dietetic Association receives financing from the dairy industry.
The "scientific study," headed by Robert Heaney, MD, concluded that by drinking three servings of milk each day, older adults could improve their skeletal health.
After reading the press release, I contacted the editor of that journal and was sent a FAX containing the actual publication.
THE STUDY
The twelve-week study included 204 men and women between the ages of 55 and 85.
There were 72 males and 132 females. It was determined (during pre-interviews) that the average participant consumed 1.5 portions of dairy each day. The 204 subjects were divided into two smaller groups. The control group participants were instructed to continue eating normally. The second group was the experimental group. These subjects were instructed to drink three 8-ounce servings of milk each day in addition to their normal diets.
EXPERIMENTAL BIAS
There was an extraneous variable in the study that negated any possibility of fairness. The results were actually pre-determined.
When women go through menopause, the most often physician-prescribed treatment is hormonal replacement therapy. Hormone therapy successfully prevents calcium depletion.
In a fair and unbiased study, none of the subjects would have been taking hormones. The study was poorly designed by allowing experimental subjects to include a therapy that would negate the test results.
Thirty of the 65 women (46 percent) in the experimental milk-drinking group were taking steroid hormones that prevent bone loss.
Only twenty-one of the 67 women (31 percent) in the control group were taking steroid hormones that prevent bone loss.
Fifty percent more of the women in the milk-drinking
group were taking steroid hormones that were
designed to prevent bone loss! By this factor alone,
one would naturally expect the experimental group to
experience less bone loss.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION
I spoke to the editor of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Betsy Crist.
When I complained about how poorly reviewed this "peer-reviewed" article seemed to be and revealed to her the critically flawed experimental bias she invited me to write a letter to the editor. I invite you to do the same.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
212 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago IL 60606
FAX: 312-899-4845
THE MISSING HORMONE LINK
On page 1231 of the journal article, tucked away in a paragraph titled "Skeletal Effects," these dairy scientists reveal the truth about the powerful growth hormone contained in milk:
"Serum IGF-I level increased significantly in the milk group and the difference between groups was highly significant. Serum IGF-I levels (blood levels) increased significantly in the milk group . . . an increase of about 10% above baseline--but was unchanged in the control group."
WHY DID FDA FIND THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE SAFE?
The FDA approved the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone after concluding that IGF-I was destroyed in the stomach. According to FDA, it is not possible that milk consumption would result in an increase of IGF-I in the human body.
The evidence provided by this study should forever change the thinking of the scientific community.
IS IGF-I IN MILK A DANGER?
By continuing to drink milk, one delivers the most powerful growth hormone in nature to his or her body (IGF-I). That hormone has been called the key factor in the growth of breast, prostate, and lung cancer. At the very best, or worst, this powerful growth hormone instructs all cells to grow. This might be the reason that Americans are so overweight. At the very worst, this hormone does not discriminate. When it finds an existing cancer, usually controlled by our immune systems, the message it delivers is: GROW!
A MIRACLE OF NATURE
There are four thousand mammals in the animal kingdom and many millions of different hormones. Only one hormone is identical in structure between two species. That hormone is IGF-I.
IGF-I is a protein hormone that survives digestion, and is an identical match between human and cow. Eat their cheese, ice cream, yogurt, or milk and you take powerful growth hormones into your body. The increase in blood levels of IGF-I have been measured and confirmed by the dairy industry to be ten percent!
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case.
Robert Cohen author of: MILK - The Deadly Poison
(201-871-5871)
Executive Director
Dairy Education Board
http://www.notmilk.com
Do you know of someone who should get a copy of this newsletter?
Have them send their Email address to notmilkman@notmilk.com and it will be done!