What is rbgh used for

In cows treated with rBGH, health problems often develop. According to a meta-analysis published in , injecting cows with rBGH increases the risk of three important health conditions:. An increased risk of mastitis is particularly concerning—for cows and the rest of the world—because these infections are treated with antibiotics, and the high use of antibiotics in livestock can create antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Given that growth hormones are produced naturally by cows, they can be expected to register at some level in all milk samples. However, data shows that organic milk contains less bovine growth hormone than conventional milk.

A study conducted by Emory University in collaboration with The Organic Center found that bovine growth hormone levels were 20 times higher in conventional milk than in organic milk. Not only does eliminating rBGH and other livestock hormones from dairy and meat reduce potential risk for humans, it also promotes humane animal treatment by reducing the proven health risks for the cows who provide us with food.

Additionally, it can be argued that cows produce plenty of milk and meat without the need for added hormones. To us, keeping milk simple and natural is just plain common sense. The treated animal then loses its organic certification and must be removed from the organic herd.

What is rBGH? What evidence links rBST to breast cancer? People who consume dairy products are most likely to be exposed. The United States does not require labeling of products from hormone-treated cattle, so individuals may be unknowingly exposed to rBST. Who is most vulnerable to the health effects? Research has shown an increased risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer in women with high IGF-1 in their blood, which can be increased by rBST, though studies seem inconclusive.

What are the top tips to avoid exposure? Use products labeled rBST free. Labeling products containing rBST is not required, but many companies voluntarily indicate that they do not use dairy from rBST treated cows. Reviewed Related Resources. The other three drugs differ in their chemical composition.

The other three companies' products remain in the FDA pipeline awaiting approval. A day moratorium on the sale of rBGH ended on February 3, Posilac went on sale the following day.

The FDA maintains that toxicity studies show IGF-1 is inactive when ingested by rats and is rendered obsolete under conditions used to process milk into infant formula. Scientists such as Dr. Michael Hansen of the Consumer Policy Institute stated: "IGF-1 has been associated with the growth of numerous tumors, including colon, smooth muscle and breast.

Despite no long-term studies on the human health implications, the FDA concluded that "the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone in dairy cattle presents no increased health risk to consumers. At issue was whether the use of rBGH increased the incidence of mastitis, or udder infections, in cows treated with the drug. A spokesperson for Monsanto told the panel that the incidence of mastitis rises with increased milk production regardless of whether rBGH has been used.

Another researcher, Dr. Dale Bauman, who led a Monsanto-funded rBGH trial at Cornell University, claimed that the increase in mastitis in his study was not due to the use of rBGH, but to a higher presence of mastitis in the herd prior to treatment. The Cornell study concludes "animals were in good health throughout the study" and "no incidences of catastrophic health effects A University of Vermont study, also funded by Monsanto, showed a four-fold increase in the number of cows that had to undergo antibiotic treatment for mastitis.

Researchers involved in this study claimed that such a figure is inaccurate as the herd size in this particular study was very small—only 40 cows. Reviewing the data from the above-referenced Cornell University trial, Dr.

Michael Hansen concluded the incidence of mastitis was 3. Yet the FDA accepted with little question industry-funded studies such as those performed by the University of Vermont and Cornell University upon which the agency based its final approval of Monsanto's Posilac product. The congressional watchdog General Accounting Office GAO also expressed concern about the mastitis issue for another reason.

The GAO was concerned that the increased incidence of mastitis would lead to the use of antibiotics, which could end up as residues in the nation's milk supply.

Unnecessary exposure to antibiotics can lead to a resistance to their intended effects by the bacterial or viral diseases they are supposed to fight off.

The FDA maintains that current tests detect antibiotic residues before they reach the consumer in fluid milk and dairy products. Despite over studies on rBGH, too many contradictions exist to confidently believe these issues have been adequately addressed by the FDA. In reaction to approval of rBGH, coalitions of diverse interests began forming around the nation in an attempt to get rBGH off the market.

The main reasons for rejecting the drug include:.