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Hormones in milk

(29 Posts)
JessM Thu 07-Jul-16 17:46:15

The EU banned the administration of hormones to beef cattle (and imported beef) in 1981 flowers sad
They were used as growth promoters. I don't think they have ever been used in dairy cattle. Mother cows have their own milk-producing hormones of course but if these hormones passed through to offspring in the milk, the babies would start growing breasts and lactating (this happens to a tiny extent via the placenta just before birth - newborns are often born with slight breast tissue enlargement that disappears very quickly)
I therefore conclude that milk is not full of hormones.
There can be some female hormones in drinking water due to the contraceptive pill, if the water has been used and re-used many times as it passes along a river system.
I think it is your own granddaughter's hormones that make her prone to spots at this age. Bless her.

Elegran Thu 07-Jul-16 17:41:50

She is producing hormones of her own, which stimulate production of oils in her skin - these are what could make her spotty.

If she means ADDED hormones in milk, then "British farmers do not administer the hormone rBST (Bovine Stomatrophin) to boost milk production. In 1993, the European Union voted for a ban on the use rBST in the EU and for the import of products from rBST treated animals. The only hormones in British cows’ milk are naturally occurring.^

If she is adamant about not drinking milk (you can't argue with a spotty teenager!), then she or her mum should make sure that she gets calcium from other sources - there is a lot of info on the net - www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium-sources/ has a list, for example, but there are others. It may involve more "greens" than she can face, so some milk and some calcium from elsewhere could be the answer.

Nelliemoser Thu 07-Jul-16 17:39:16

I would think there are likely to be some hormones in cows milk naturally or added.
However pre teenagers are very likely to get spotty because of their own increasingly rampant hormones whether they drink milk or not.

Perhaps discussing with her the natural effects of her own hormones might help her make a more informed decision.

Stansgran Thu 07-Jul-16 17:21:55

My preteenager DGD has said she does not drink milk because there are hormones in it and they make her spotty. Is this true of uk milk? I know that in the USA there are or have been serious problems of hormones in cattle but I don't know if there is anything googleable up to date and local .all I've found is info from ten years ago. Any advice please as I feel she is growing bones and teeth still and needs calcium.