Hormones in Food
How might hormones in milk or meat affect your health?
A reader in Fredericksburg, VA asked me talk about hormones in food and their effects on your health.
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Let me start by pointing out hormones are not used in poultry or pork products. So, paying extra for hormone-free eggs or bacon is like paying extra for fat-free broccoli. But don’t feel too bad if you fell for that one—lots of us did.
They do, however, give hormones to cows—both dairy cows and the kind that are raised for meat. A variety of hormones—both natural and synthetic—are used to increase milk production and to make cows grow to their slaughter weight faster. In fact, Science News reports that hormones are given to 80% of all U.S. feedlot cattle. Is this a problem?
Are Hormones in Food Unhealthy?
Some scientists fear that hormone residues in meat and milk could affect the humans who consume them, possibly affecting the age at which boys and girls reach puberty or increasing the risk of cancer. Environmentalists are concerned that a lot of those hormones are going to end up in the cow’s manure and will make their way into streams and rivers, affecting fish, frogs, and other sensitive fauna.
The cattle industry insists that the use of hormones is not only safe but benefits consumers by keeping costs down. They claim that “an overwhelming body of scientific evidence prov[es] its safety and effectiveness” and that there is a “worldwide scientific consensus to support the use of hormones.” Well, maybe not so much. The European Union has outlawed the use of hormones in cattle and banned beef imports from the United States on the basis of these concerns.
What’s the Evidence on Hormones in Meat and Milk?
So far, there is no definitive proof that giving hormones to cows causes problems in humans—or that it doesn’t. There simply haven’t been any large, conclusive studies done on the issue. Mostly, what we have are small, short-term safety studies conducted by the companies who sell the hormones. As you might imagine, there are some questions about the validity of these results.
Nonetheless, the U.S. FDA insists that the use of hormones in beef and dairy cattle poses no threat to human welfare and that meat and milk from cows given hormones is identical to meat and milk produced without hormones.
Industry representatives point out that the level of hormones in the meat is miniscule compared to the amount produced by our own bodies. In some cases, the level of hormones in treated cattle may be lower than the levels in untreated cattle. For example, an untreated bull would have much higher levels of natural testosterone than a castrated steer that is receiving hormone replacement therapy.
In the case of hormones given to dairy cows to increase milk production, this hormone is dismantled by the digestive process and is not absorbed into the bloodstream. Even if it were, the hormone is not recognized as a hormone by the human body and unlikely to have any effect.
Does Organic Beef and Milk Contain Hormones?
I should also point out that certified organic beef and milk is, by definition, produced without hormones. But that doesn’t mean that organic beef and milk are free of hormones. Remember that cows produce their own hormones—even the European ones, and these are present in their meat and milk.
Nonetheless, like the European Union, many American consumers would prefer to err on the side of caution and are willing to pay more for milk and meat produced without hormones.
That really pisses off the mainstream cattle and dairy industry. Lobbyists have pushed for—and, in some States, actually gotten—laws that would prevent dairy farmers who don’t use hormones from labeling their products “hormone-free” because, the lobbyists argue, it implies that hormone-free is better. Because the FDA maintains that it is not better, the lobbyists insist that the hormone-free label is misleading and slanderous.
Consumers Should Have a Choice
I think producers should have a right to provide details about how their food is produced, even if the state thinks those details are unimportant or irrelevant. Saying that meat or milk was produced without hormones is not misleading or libelous. It’s simply a fact, like saying that the cows are housed in a red barn. If it’s important to me to drink milk from cows that live in a red barn, who is the government to keep that information from me? And if I’m willing to pay more for milk from cows that live in a red barn, that’s my choice as well.
Is Hormone-Free Better?
Personally, my concerns about the use of hormones in cattle have less to do with the quality of the meat and milk, and more to do with the effect that the hormones have on the health and well-being of the animals, and the impact of the hormones that enter the environment via the manure. Frankly, I think we’re a little cavalier with our use of hormones and antibiotics in agriculture. Hormones are big guns, biologically, and are still relatively poorly understood. And I did an entire show on the use of antibiotics in meat, which you’ll find here.
The European Union ban on hormone use may be overly cautious, but what harm will come of it? If they’re wrong and hormones are harmless, cattle farmers will have sacrificed some profit. If we’re wrong, and hormones turn out to be harmful, we may have sacrificed far more.
Because the effect of these hormones on human health is still an open question, you have to look at the evidence and arguments from both sides and decide what you feel comfortable with. I’ve got links below to information from both sides of the debate.
I’m interested to know what you think about the issue of hormones and about the labeling debate. Post your comments below or join the discussion on the Nutrition Diva Facebook Page or on Twitter.
If you have a suggestion for a future show topic or would like to find out about having me speak at your conference or school, send an email to nutrition@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email or leave me a voice mail at 206-203-1438.
Have a great week and remember to eat something good for me!
RESOURCES:
Selective Breeding for Rapid Growth in Poultry (The Humane Society)
Hormones in Cattle Production: Their Use and Safety (American Meat Institute)
Added Hormones in Meat and Dairy (EBSCO Health Library)
The Use of Steroid Hormones for Growth Promotion in Food Producing Animals. (U.S. FDA)
Potential Health Impacts of rBST in Dairy Production (Consumer’s Union)
Assessment of Potential Risks to Human Health from Hormone Residues (EU Scientific Committee
Hormones: A Safe Effective Tool for the Canadian Beef Industry Canadian Animal Health Institute
Steak image courtesy of Shutterstock
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.
