What Are Bovine Growth Hormone Side Effects?
Chances are that the label on the milk in your refrigerator makes some kind of reference to rBGH, commonly called rBST. A gallon of Great Value milk from Walmart, for example, has the following disclaimer: "Our farmers have pledged to not treat any of their cows with any artificial growth hormones. According to the FDA, no significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows." This strange wording is the result of a battle between those who advocate the use of rBGH and those who fear it has negative effects on cows and consumers.
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Identification
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Bovine growth hormone is found in cows' pituitary glands. It helps to maintain metabolism and encourage cell growth. Scientists engineered BGH by injecting E. coli bacteria with the gene that causes BGH growth. By putting this new "recombinant," or recombined, hormone into cows, milk production is increased by 8.5 percent to 17.6 percent.
Side Effects in Cows
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According to Monsanto, formerly the leading producer of rBGH (sold under the brand name Posilac) in the United States, there is a 79 percent increase of udder infection, or mastitis, in cows treated with the hormone. The label says that "use of Posilac may result in an increase in digestive disorders such as indigestion, bloat, and diarrhea. ... Studies indicated that cows injected with Posilac had increased numbers of enlarged hocks and lesions (e.g., lacerations, enlargements, calluses) of the knee ... and ... of the foot region."
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Consumer Side Effects
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Although natural amounts of BGH are found in all milk and cause no known side effects, increased amounts might cause negative effects. But the side effects of rBGH on consumers are hypothetical. Because mastitis can often lead to infected milk, many consumer groups and scientists are concerned that rBGH-treated cows could pass unhealthy bacteria into milk products. There is also a concern that antibiotic residue could be passed along, because mastitis requires antibiotic treatments. Additionally, rBGH stimulates the production of insulin-like growth factor 1, which promotes cell division and growth. There is speculation that this could lead to an increase in cancer, but these theories have not been proven or sufficiently tested.
History
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Since its approval in 1993, rBGH has been highly controversial. The primary manufacturer of the hormone was Monsanto. Numerous boycotts and protests followed the hormone's introduction to the market. In 2004, Monsanto cut Posilac production in half. Meanwhile, consumers demanded the right to know whether the milk they purchased was from rBGH cows, while the FDA and Monsanto maintained that there was no essential difference between rBGH milk and non-rBGH milk. The result of these battles is the strange wording on milk labels. In 2008, Monsanto sold Posilac to Eli Lilly and Co., which interestingly enough is a leading manufacturer of a mastitis treatment.
The Current Status of rBGH
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The use of rBGH has become less common. Many grocery stores, including Kroger, Safeway and Walmart, do not carry rBGH products. In 2008, Starbucks Coffee Co. banned rBGH in its products. Recombinant bovine growth hormone is also banned in Canada, the European Union, Japan and Australia.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of David Oliva
