Diseases Related To The Consumption Of Cow’s Milk

Cow’s milk and its derivatives are currently among the most widely consumed foods in the world. And it is that its nutritional properties, its delicious taste and the content of vitamins and minerals that it contributes to our body, especially calcium, have always been praised.

However, in recent times a smear campaign against this product seems to have been started. However, what is true in these statements? Is it true that the consumption of cow’s milk can deteriorate health and lead to the appearance of diseases? Find out in this article.

Can cow’s milk be bad for your health?

Cow ‘s milk is a product that humans have consumed for hundreds of years. However, for a few decades a kind of phobia towards this product has started. And it is that many consider that it can be harmful to health. But why now?

To answer this we have to go back a bit in time, more or less to the 60s, when man began to intervene more in the natural breeding of beef.

At present , in some cases rearing techniques are applied that allow the cow to produce more milk. Some of these techniques include dietary changes or hormone treatments. This has led many people to think that this milk is not of quality and that it is bad for your health.

However, these techniques have passed quality controls prior to their application and it has been shown that their use is safe for human health.

Furthermore, there is a food safety policy throughout the European Union. Thus, before any product can be marketed, it must pass rigorous controls to ensure that it is not harmful to human health.

Therefore, you can rest easy. The milk and products that you buy in the supermarket and in specialized establishments (at least in Europe) are not harmful to health. Another issue is raw milk, bought in a dubious way.

This, having not been pasteurized, contains harmful microbes that can cause us illnesses. Therefore, we should never drink unpasteurized milk. We may think that this is more “healthy”, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Myths about cow’s milk

As you have seen, cow’s milk is not bad for your health. What’s more, it contains numerous vitamins and nutrients necessary for our body. Therefore, do not hesitate to include it in a balanced diet.

However, we are aware that false information about diseases caused by the consumption of cow’s milk has circulated for years. Today we want to show you the most common so you can see that they lack scientific evidence. Shall we start?

Migraine

One of the diseases that is associated with the consumption of cow’s milk is migraine. However, there are no studies to prove this claim. In addition, the causes of this ailment are not yet clear, so they cannot be associated with milk.

On the other hand, it is true that the consumption of certain foods in excess can trigger migraine attacks in prone people. However, among these foods we do not find cow’s milk but: alcohol, coffee, salty or processed foods, ripe cheeses …

Constipation

In the case of this problem, it is true that cow’s milk can cause constipation, but in people who are intolerant to it. In fact, several studies show that children with lactose intolerance are often more prone to constipation.

Therefore, if you are not intolerant, calm down, you are safe. And if you are, calm down too, just stop taking this product and add fiber to your diet.

waterfalls

Some studies link the consumption of cow’s milk with the appearance of cataracts. However, none of them dates from this century, the most recent is from the 70s. At present, there is no study that supports this statement.

What’s more, recent research shows that the appearance of cataracts would be more linked to genetic factors. It is also related to some eye conditions, certain diseases such as diabetes, and long-term use of certain medications. But not with cow’s milk or diet.

Chronic fatigue

There is a belief that the consumption of cow’s milk favors the appearance of chronic fatigue. However this is not entirely true. A study published in 2016 in the journal Acta Paediatrica shows that young people who suffer from chronic fatigue are often more likely to be lactose intolerant and its consumption would aggravate their symptoms. Therefore, cow’s milk itself does not cause fatigue, only if you are lactose intolerant, in which case you should no longer take it from the beginning.

Allergic reactions

This disease is caused by the consumption of cow’s milk and, if you are allergic to it, you should avoid its consumption.

But it is important to clarify that this is not the fault of the way the cow has been raised. Even if you drink milk not produced with these processes, it would still feel bad for you. It is not that you develop this allergy due to its “artificial” components.

All real food allergies are caused by a malfunction of the immune system. If you have a milk allergy, the immune system identifies some milk proteins as harmful, causing the production of antibodies. This causes the most common symptoms of an allergy to appear: hives, swelling, vomiting …

If this is your case, eliminate cow’s milk from your diet. In addition, we advise you to go to your doctor to do an allergy test and that he tell you the steps to follow.

Gastrointestinal bleeding

There are no studies linking cow’s milk consumption to gastrointestinal bleeding. It is true that if you are intolerant, consuming excess dairy can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as diarrhea or gas, just like any other intolerance. However, bleeding is not considered among its symptoms.

In any case, if you suspect that you may be lactose intolerant, we recommend that you reduce your consumption of dairy as much as possible (in all its forms) and that you go to the doctor as soon as possible.

Conclution

We could continue debunking myths about diseases that are related to the consumption of cow’s milk. And the list is long and some are as unlikely as asthma, autism, sclerosis or sleep disorders. 

What you should know is that cow’s milk in principle is not bad for your health unless you are allergic or intolerant to it. In these cases, we recommend eliminating or reducing its consumption. You should always go to the doctor for a diagnosis. Plus, you sure have recommendations for animal milk substitutes. However, if you are not in this situation, do not hesitate to include cow’s milk in your diet.