There are good and bad arguments against dairy. Both regular people and experts all have their opinions. Depending on who you talk to, you’ll either be convinced to avoid it like the plague or to have as much you desire. Like everything with nutrition, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. In today’s post, I’ll be covering both the pros and cons of dairy, helping you to decide what’s best for your body. Let’s get to it!

Dairy- The Cons

Here are the arguments and downsides to dairy.

• Digestion: Many people cannot digest dairy. This is either due to lactose or casein. Lactose is the sugar found in dairy, and casein is the protein. Both can be difficult to digest, especially for people with sensitive stomachs or poor gut health. The common symptoms of dairy allergies or intolerances include cramps, bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, acne, and rashes. [1]

•  Acne: According to some research, there is a correlation between dairy consumption and acne. The theory goes that dairy stimulates the release of both insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). [2] These two encourage the growth of androgens (male sex hormones), which further increase oil production and, inevitably, acne. [3]

• Hormones: A drawback to dairy is its potential effects on your hormones. All types of dairy- whether that’s milk or cheese- have traces of hormones (prolactin, corticoids, androgens, estrogen, and progesterone). Some also contain rBGH (recombinant bovine hormone), which is a synthetic hormone made purposefully for cows to increase their milk production. While rBGH is said to have no effect on humans, it does alter the concentration of hormones already found in dairy. In people who have or are at risk for cancer, this may be worrying, but the science has yet to 100% confirm whether or not patients should avoid it. I’ll also note that not all cows are treated with rBGH; the label will state otherwise. On a final note, experts say that the amount of hormones your body gets from dairy isn’t much to cry home about. The body produces way more than the traces found in dairy. But if your hormones are extremely imbalanced, then any little bit is going to make things even worse. (When in doubt, work with your doctor.) [4]  

You may have seen some experts online talking about the link between dairy, IGF-1, and cancer. Some studies only suggest a connection by using correlation over causation. There are several factors behind cancer outside of dairy consumption. Blaming everything on dairy while ignoring other potential is not only unfair; it’s also inaccurate. You need the full picture. Dairy may, or may not be, a piece of the puzzle. That being said, a recent review of the research concludes that “…the proven health benefits of dairy foods greatly outweigh the unproven harm.”[5] Furthermore, the American Cancer Society still recommends dairy as a part of a healthy weight-maintenance diet. [6] I believe it’s safe to say that if the American Cancer Society is comfortable recommending it, then there shouldn’t be any fear-mongering. But again, I am not a doctor. If you have reason to believe that dairy is doing more harm than good for your health, then avoid it. 

• Quality: There’s no denying that conventional, cheap, and highly processed food is going to pale in comparison to fresh, organic, nutrient-dense food. Dairy is no different. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Ever hear the phrase “You are what you eat,”? When it comes to animal products, it’s not only what you eat. It’s also what you eat eats. In other words, the better the cow was treated, the greater the quality product you’re going to eat. If the cow grazed on open, pastured land and ate plenty of real, whole foods, it’s going to contain plenty of nutrients. On the other hand, if it was confined to a small space without any sunlight and ate of processed garbage, then it’s milk won’t be as nutritious. Most people today are not buying organic or farm-fresh dairy. They’re going for the inexpensive, family-sized value packs of cheese, dairy, and yogurt. Which is why they’re missing out on nutrients and reactively poorly to dairy. A lot of people notice a difference between organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised dairy, and conventional dairy. Which is why they wind up feeling puffy, bloated, and awful. And for a good reason. A recent study showed that conventional dairy tested positive for traces of pesticides, growth hormones, and (illegal) antibiotics (amoxicillin, sulfamethazine, and sulfathiazole). [7]
  

I do want to highlight a flaw from this study. While the thought of contamination in dairy is scray, understand that not all dairy is the same. Every company upholds its own standards of care and quality. Finally, that study was not conducted using FDA standards, so there was room for error in the way it was set up and carried out. Just something for you to keep in mind!

Vegans and Dairy

To wrap up part 1 of this topic, I want to point out that vegans have every right to avoid dairy. If they are ethically against animal products, then they can avoid them. However, what they should not do is shame anyone who doesn’t. Just as they have the right to eat as they choose, so too does everyone else. We all learn and make mistakes as we go along. Myself included. I used to be a die-hard coffee lover, and have made the switch to being (mostly) caffeine-free. Does that mean everyone should avoid coffee? Not at all! I’m just sharing what’s worked for me and the reasons why I (and potentially others) might not be doing so well with coffee. That’s why I stress the importance of bio-individuality. What works for one person may not always work for another. You have to understand your body and its unique needs, while at the same time respecting the fact that it’s going to be different for everyone else. So, vegans, keep doing you. For everyone else who does fine on dairy, there’s no need to feel ashamed or guilty.

 Alright, everyone, that about wraps up part 1 of today’s post. Tune in for part 2, which will be coming out real soon!

Sources:

[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lactose-intolerance-symptoms
[2] https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/325580
[3] https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/579326_2
[4] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-dairy-affect-your-hormone-levels/
[5] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1541-4337.12011
[6]. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.20140
[7] https://www.news-medical.net/health/Sex-Hormones-in-Meat-and-Dairy-Products.aspx