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The Claim: Hormones in Milk Cause Early Puberty
NY Times ^ | March 8, 2005 | ANAHAD O'CONNOR

Posted on 03/08/2005 12:43:01 AM PST by neverdem

REALLY?

THE FACTS - In 1997, when a large study found that girls were starting puberty sooner than usual, many Americans began to cast a suspicious eye on milk. Could artificial growth hormones that had been widely used on cows since 1993 be speeding development in children?

Sales of organic dairy products took off rapidly, but newer studies have found no link. Instead, if girls are maturing sooner, a notion some scientists still dispute, it may have more to do with obesity than milk.

The early puberty theory came from a study suggesting that many girls were developing breasts and pubic hair between 9 and 10, roughly a year early.

A substance given to cows to increase milk production, called recombinant bovine growth hormone, became a prime suspect. But Dr. Paul Kaplowitz, the author of "Early Puberty in Girls," said that the hormone, if it did make its way into milk, would have no effect. It must be injected, not digested, he said.

A study published in 2001, led by Dr. Kaplowitz, showed that girls who developed sooner tended to have higher body-mass indexes. It also said that the findings of the early puberty study coincided with a rise in nationwide rates of obesity.

THE BOTTOM LINE - Bovine growth hormones are not connected to the early onset of puberty in girls.

scitimes@nytimes.com


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: children; dairyproducts; health; hormones; medicine; milk; youth
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I remember being taught either four or five 'F's. It was part of the endocrinological, i.e. hormonal, explanation for the lack of osteoporosis in obese women and Type II Diabetes.

female
fat
forty
fertile (multiparity)
flatulent, OMG it's global warming! /sarcasm

1 posted on 03/08/2005 12:43:01 AM PST by neverdem
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To: El Gato; JudyB1938; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Robert A. Cook, PE; lepton; LadyDoc; jb6; tiamat; PGalt; ..

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.


2 posted on 03/08/2005 1:03:10 AM PST by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: neverdem
My husband,mother,mother-in-law and myself have all commented on this very thing(seeming early development in girls) all in the past month. I have a niece, a very lovely young woman who brought several friends to a family function this past summer. Those young ladies were as developed as any 20 year old I've ever been or seen. They were between 11 and 13. My first thought upon seeing them was, What is Jen doing with such older girls, when in the knowing she was older than all of them!

I've also noticed this during the warmer months, especially at the park, zoo, or movies these young girls are quite developed. And don't mind showing it either.

I had heard, after commenting to my mother and husband's mother, that there was some suspicion about it being caused by growth hormones in the food supply.

You know the thing is, that a lot of these girls are quite thin, except for their breasts, hips etc.

3 posted on 03/08/2005 1:10:19 AM PST by mother22wife21 ("Mama, Mama, wake up , God has brought us another day present.")
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To: mother22wife21

A few years ago, I happened to drive by my old highschool (I graduated a LONG time ago). I thought the place had been turned into a junior college. For a FACT girls were not so well-developed when I was younger.

My wife's cousin is 14 y/o. She has often been guessed as 21.

It may not be growth hormones in the food supply, but something is different....


4 posted on 03/08/2005 1:19:26 AM PST by clee1 (Islam is a deadly plague; liberalism is the AIDS virus that prevents us from defending ourselves.)
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To: neverdem

The five Fs also are the profile of the average gallbladder patient:

Fair
Fat
Female
Forty
Fertile


5 posted on 03/08/2005 1:20:22 AM PST by Judith Anne (Thank you St. Jude for favors granted.)
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To: clee1

:D maybe it's in the water?......


6 posted on 03/08/2005 1:28:49 AM PST by mother22wife21 ("Mama, Mama, wake up , God has brought us another day present.")
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To: mother22wife21

I have felt concern for a Grandchild who had to be transferred to soy milk in early infancy because of intolerance to regular formula. Some believe that natural hormones in soy might effect children in some way later on. I actually asked her pediatrician about it and of course, she comforted me but she doesn't know. So many substances are put into our food, most in an attempt to make us healthier, but even too many vitamins or minerals might effect children. When my brother was an infant, my Mother refused to breast feed him because the belief was that "cow's milk" caused children to be taller adults. My view of child obesity is that children do not get enough exercise because of lifestyle changes and parental fear of letting them roam around without adult supervision..Computers and video games along with little space at home to play ball, ride bikes, etc., has an impact.


7 posted on 03/08/2005 1:29:39 AM PST by jazzlite (esat)
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To: neverdem

hmm, wonder what their cancer rates will be?? After a lifetime of hormone therapy in the milk??


8 posted on 03/08/2005 1:31:34 AM PST by television is just wrong (Our sympathies are misguided with illegal aliens...)
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To: neverdem

if this is true..that might explain why i hit it around 9,scary....(of course im about to get flamed) but i drink a TON of milk i make sure i at least get 3-4 glasses a day


9 posted on 03/08/2005 1:32:16 AM PST by MetalHeadConservative35 (To the Wayne,Mi, Pop Scene...Be afriad...Be VERY afraid)
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To: MetalHeadConservative35
and of course their talking about girls and im a guy...thats what i get for not reading the whole thing

i think ill go hide in a corner now :o/

10 posted on 03/08/2005 1:33:14 AM PST by MetalHeadConservative35 (To the Wayne,Mi, Pop Scene...Be afriad...Be VERY afraid)
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To: MetalHeadConservative35

For a mere $100,000 I won't ping everyone I know.


11 posted on 03/08/2005 1:38:11 AM PST by Flyer (That flight attendant is not missing playing below the bridge at this exact moment)
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hmm I remember from my sex ed in school that female puberty was tied closely to body weight.

this was ages ago before the tree huggers started blaming food additives for everything.

I get a laugh out of the dairies *in California* who bleat about their products not having rBST, when it banned by law anyway. another scam to get the gullible "healty" shopper to part with some money


12 posted on 03/08/2005 1:39:25 AM PST by KneelBeforeZod ( I'm going to open Cobra Kai dojos all over this valley!)
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Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: neverdem

Another illegal alien was convicted of a statuatory rape this week here in Phoenix. His crime involved inpregnating a nine year old who eventually gave birth.

The illegal alien watchers are aghast at this inasmuch as he will probably be deported to Mexico now. The child? The newly born child is an American Citizen. There has been no mention of Citizenship of the Child who gave birth for whom we deeply feel sorry.


14 posted on 03/08/2005 2:04:28 AM PST by svxdave (Life is too short to wear a fake Rolex.)
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To: Flyer

YOU SUCK!!!!! lmao


15 posted on 03/08/2005 2:39:11 AM PST by MetalHeadConservative35 (To the Wayne,Mi, Pop Scene...Be afriad...Be VERY afraid)
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To: Flyer

And good thing lazmataz aint in here..he'd get me for sure


16 posted on 03/08/2005 2:39:43 AM PST by MetalHeadConservative35 (To the Wayne,Mi, Pop Scene...Be afriad...Be VERY afraid)
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To: neverdem
I have to wonder. My young son is far taller than I was at his age and is showing signs that I would have expected some 3-4 years out from now. He is YEARS from being a teen and we are already seeing signs of things I'd expect then. Who knows, maybe it's just him, it's not like I've had experience from the parent side before.
17 posted on 03/08/2005 2:45:15 AM PST by Caipirabob (Democrats.. Socialists..Commies..Traitors...Who can tell the difference?)
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To: uwmeister
"I can tell you from memory that in 1950 - 1960 fat kids were rare in America"

I concur. In those days in any group of kids there was one "fat kid". That kid today would not look anywhere near so fat.

Cars were bigger then but my parents got all five of their kids into the back seat of a '57 Ford Fairlane. Try sitting five kids today into the back seat of a limo

18 posted on 03/08/2005 2:45:39 AM PST by muir_redwoods (Free Sirhan Sirhan, after all, the bastard who killed Mary Jo Kopeckne is walking around free)
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To: neverdem

Are you sure that isn't the profile of a woman Likely to suffer from gallbladder problems?


19 posted on 03/08/2005 2:51:20 AM PST by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: television is just wrong

The growth hormones in milk are protein hormones (unlike the sex hormones or thyroid hormone). They are destroyed in the stomach when they are ingested so they have no effect in humans who drink milk. That is the reason why insulin (also a protein hormone) must be injected and not taken by mouth.


20 posted on 03/08/2005 3:01:24 AM PST by Pharmboy ("Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God")
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