"Some experts say it's a health hazard.
Others say it's the most nutritious food you can find"...

opens the article by Alan Aragon, M.S., a nutritionist who presents some good arguments for milk in the December 2007 issue of " Men's Health ". This week, I have pulled some excerpts from this article that may be of use to those of you who like to drink milk, but maybe have been hesitant to do so because of all of the conflicting information out there...Christine

Cows are given hormones. Doesn't that make their milk unhealthy?

Now unless you're injecting the milk. Here's the full story: In 1993 the FDA approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) in cattle. This practice resulted in greater milk production at less cost to the dairy farmer, a savings that has been passed on to you at your local supermarket. But, it has also sparked much controversy, because rBGH boosts milk's concentration of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), a hormone that's been linked to cancer.

Unlike steroid hormones,which can be taken orally, rBGH and IGF must be injected to have any effect. That's because the process of digestion destroys these "protein" hormones. So drinking milk from hormone-treated cows doesn't transfer the active form of these chemicals to your body. However, there is one ethical downside to consider: It's not good for the cows. Canadian researchers discovered that cows given hormones are more likely to contract an udder infection called mastitis.

What about antibiotics?

No one really knows. Some scientists argue that milk from cows given antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance in humans, making thses types of drugs less effective when you take them for an infection. But this finding has never been proven.

If you're uneasy, you can purchase antibiotic-free (and typically hormone-free, as well) milk from specialty grocers, such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, or select USDA-certified organic milk, which is available at most supermarkets.

Skim or Whole?

It depends on your taste. While you've probably always been told to drink reduced-fat milk, the majority of scientific studies show that drinking whole milk actually improves cholesterol levels, just not as much as drinking skim does. One recent exception: Danish researchers found that men who consumed a diet rich in whole milk experienced a slight increase in LDL cholesterol (six points). However, it's worth noting that these men drank six 8-ounce glasses a day, an unusually high amount. Even so, their triglycerides-another marker of heart-disease risk-decreased by 22 percent.

The bottom line: Drinking two to three glasses of milk a day, whether its skim, 2 percent, or whole, lowers the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke-a finding confirmed by british scientists.

If you're dieting, the lower-fat option is an easy way to save a few calories. When it comes to building muscle, though, whole milk may be your best choice: Scientists at the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston found that drinking whole milk after lifting weights boosted muscle protein synthesis-an indicator of muscle growth-2.8 times more than drinking skim did.

Are you lactose intolerant? This article suggests that if you are, you can still enjoy some dairy products. Some lactose intolerant people can still drink milk-you just have to really limit your intake to 1 cup at a time, and, if you drink it with food, this can also lesson any adverse effects you might experience. Fermented dairy products such as cheese, kefir and yogurt have little to no lactose, and can even improve lactose digestion.

back to Swac Fitness Info