Monsato’s genetically engineered recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) has sparked a nationwide debate since its introduction to the American marketplace around 1993. But although many farmers have boycotted the drug, which the Monsato Company sells under the name POSILAC, the FDA continues to license the drug. This should be enough to alarm anyone as there are many strong reasons that should compel the government to ban the use of the cow growth hormone.
rBGH is a man-made hormone that is injected into cows every other week to make the cows produce more milk (around 10-15% than the cows normally would). rBGH is similar – but not the same – to the natural hormone that dairy cows produce, bovine somatotropin (BST). The cow growth hormone increase the dairy cow’s milk production by increasing the levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), another hormone, which accelerates the development of cancer.
Will Bovine Growth Hormone In Milk Get Into Our Kids’ Diets?
The main problem with rBGH is that it doesn’t get destroyed in the pasteurization process, which means that bovine growth hormone in milk can easily get into our children’s diets if they drink milk that comes from rBGH-treated dairy cows. This is an alarming problem because this can cause the children serious health problems.
Likewise, IGF-1 also gets into our children’s diets through the milk. Like the rBGH, IGF-1 doesn’t get destroyed in the pasteurization process. It can also cause very serious problems as IGF-1 affects cell growth. Thus when ingested by humans, the IGF-1 acts as a cancer accelerator and has been associated with breast, prostate and colon cancers.
The Cow Growth Hormone – No Denying Now That rBGH Cancer Is Real
Cancer because of rBGH is therefore a very real danger to every milk drinker if the government continues to condone the use of the man-made hormone. The government can’t deny the threat of rBGH cancer. The FDA should therefore follow the examples of Canada and European nations and ban the use of rBGH in cows.
To make matters worse, it isn’t just cancer that threatens milk drinkers when they drink milk that came from hormone-treated dairy cows. There is also the possibility that consumers end up drinking cow pus because of the problem that cows develop when they are injected with the rBGH.
Whenever cows are injected with the rBGH hormone and are forced to make more milk than usual, they are susceptible to mastitis or udder infection. When cows develop mastitis, this increases the levels of pus and bacteria that end up in the milk. Again, milk drinkers are in danger of unknowingly consuming these when they drink milk from treated cows.
Another big problem with the US government allowing the use of rBGH in our dairy cows is that no one will be the wiser as the government does not require these milk companies to use identifying labels. Thus making sure that the milk you drink is one of the rbgh free milk brands will fall solely into your hands. There is no reason then why the government shouldn’t adjust its stand on the modified cow hormone and ban its use.