Meat and dairy products form the basis of many Western diets. In fact, the popular perception is that a portion of meat and two glasses of milk every day will ensure good bones and muscle mass. However, many people are unaware of what actually goes into the cartons of milk they get from the local supermarket, or the cuts of beef they grill on the barbecue.

The ugly fact of dairy and meat (especially beef) production is that many large producers are extensively using growth hormones to boost production. This is not a new issue, bovine growth hormones, used in the US to boost beef and milk production, have been the focus of debate for some time now. But although growing numbers of consumers and scientists have expressed concerns about potential human health risks of this practice, the USDA and FDA have approved the use of six hormone growth promotants (HGPs) in the cultivation of beef cattle, and one more hormone used to increase milk productivity. Only a few other countries have approved the use of HGPs, while many others have banned their use.

The History of Artificial Growth Hormones

Growth hormones in milk

Bovine somatotropin or BST is a hormone naturally secreted by the pituitary glands of cows. Traces of BST are found in the milk secreted by the hormone injected animal. BST is also poularly known as BGH, or bovine growth hormone. It interacts with other hormones in cows' bodies to control the amount of milk they produce.

Scientists working for Monsanto, the agricultural giant, developed a genetically-engineered synthetic version of the hormone called recombinant bovine growth hormone or rBGH, that increased milk production by 10% to 25%. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993, it was offered to interested farmers the next year. By 2008, a third of American dairy cows were being injected with rBGH.

Growth hormones in beef

The US cattle industry started using hormones to enhance beef produciton in 1956. They used DES (diethylstilbestrol) – which had been approved for use in beef cattle in 1954. In the 1970s, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved six hormone growth promotants (HGPs). These included three naturally occurring hormones – Oestradiol, Progesterone and Testosterone – and three synthetically prepared hormones – Zeranol, Trenbolone, and Melengestrol.

Growth hormones in veal

In 2004, the US veal industry was found guilty of injecting 90% of its calves with growth hormones. These hormones included all six HGPs approved for use in adult cattle only, bringing into focus the safety or side effects of injecting calves with hormones intended for heifers and steers over 700 lbs, a fact that has never been evaluated. It is suspected that these hormones may be metabolized differently in the young calf's body which could lead to greater amounts of hormones consumed by people who eat veal.

How Are Growth Hormones Used?

Milk - Lactating cows are injected with rBGH to increase their lactation period. This hormone interacts with other hormones in cows' bodies to increase the amount of milk they produce.

Beef - The US FDA approved six hormone growth promotants (HGPs) including three naturally occurring hormones – Oestradiol, Progesterone and Testosterone – and three synthetically prepared hoemones – Zeranol, Trenbolone, and Melengestrol. These are implanted or injected into cattle in various stages of maturity. The FDA however, does not permit injecting calves with these hormones. The male hormone testosterone and its synthetic equivalent trenbolone acetate, and the female hormone progesterone including three synthetic derivatives zeranol, 17 beta-estradiol, and melengestrol acetate (MGA) are either implanted or injected into the cows. Melengestrol is a feed additive and is not injected, but added to the feedstock. Hormones are also said to help the animal improve its nutrient absorption. This translates into feedstock needed for the animal to reach its finish weight (market weight). Hormones help to improve meat quality by changing the deposition of fat, producing the lean meat that consumers desire.

How Growth Hormones Boost Production

Milk - Experts opine that there are two obvious benefits of the widespread use of rBGH:
* The manufacturer benefits from the use of the hormones manufactured by the company.
* Results in an estimated 12 per cent increase in the US milk supply

However, it is argued that the US did not need higher milk supply. It is said that since the l950s, America's dairies have consistently produced more milk than the nation could consume, the surplus being bought up every year by the Federal Government to prevent the price from plummeting.

Beef - Beef producers inject their cattle with growth hormones because they:
* Improve meat quality by increasing the development of lean meat and decreasing fat content;
* Increase feed efficiency, thereby allowing more growth with less feed;
* Reduce costs for producers thereby reducing the price of meat and meat products for consumers.

The Canadian Animal Health Institute observes that the use of growth hormones benefits both producers and consumers.
* Producers - With the animal growing larger and quicker on less feed, producers have lower feed costs and therefore lower inventory costs.
* Consumers - Without the use of growth hormones, producers would experience higher costs. This would translate into higher prices for the consumer. In 2000, 500 g of lean ground beef in Germany cost about $4.60 while it cost about $3.19 in Canada for the same amount. That is a difference of 44%.

Growth Hormones and Health

rBGH hormone for milk production
* Antibiotics given to cows to treat mastitis results in antibiotic residues in milk. Apart from causing health problems in those who drink this, it can lead to the development of antibiotic resistance amongst bacteria present in the person's body.
* Scientific studies link rBGH to cancer citing the fact that the presence of rBGH in the cow's blood stimulates production of another hormone (Insulin-Like Growth Factor) in the cow and traces of it are found in its milk. Since this hormone is also active within humans, it can lead to uncontrolled cell division or cancer.

Growth hormone for beef production
* Exposure to growth hormones in beef could be putting Americans at risk for infertility. A recent study found that women who routinely ate beef were far more likely to give birth to boys who grow up to have lower-than-normal sperm counts.
* Hormone residues in beef have been implicated in the early onset of puberty in girls, which could put them at greater risk of developing breast and other forms of cancer.

link to full story