Oestrogens and progesterone in cows milk but how much and what impact?

[R.B.]

"Suprabasal progesterone, and altered oestradiol-17beta concentrations, seem to play a minor role in cyst formation." (In cows)


"We are particularly concerned about cows' milk, which contains a considerable quantity of estrogens. When we name cows' milk as one of the important routes of human exposure to estrogens, the general response of Western people is that "man has been drinking cows' milk for around 2000 years without apparent harm." However, the milk that we are now consuming is quite different from that consumed 100 years ago."

How does oestradiol-17beta figure in BC. I get lots of links on a google search but am having difficulty in understanding the implications.

What are the levels of progesterone and oestradiol-17beta ingested per pint.

Is this made worse by our search for high yeild cows?

Are they significant in terms of the bodies production?

How are they metabolised?

What impact does fermentation into cheese and yogurt have.?

So many questions - can anybody shed any light?

RB





http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=14729019

1: Med Hypotheses. 2004;62(1):133-42. Links
Comment in:
Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(2):429-30.
Estrogen: one of the risk factors in milk for prostate cancer.
• Qin LQ,
• Wang PY,
• Kaneko T,
• Hoshi K,
• Sato A.
Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Shimokato 1110, Tamaho, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan. shinr@res.yamanashi-med.ac.jp
Studies to elucidate the cause of prostate cancer have met with little success to date. Epidemiological studies suggested that milk consumption is probably as one of the risk factors for prostate cancer. The studies thus focused on the fat and calcium in milk, but reached no definitive conclusion. According to the measurements of estrogen levels in milk by different studies, it was suggested that estrogen in milk was a possible risk to cause prostate cancer. One reason supporting this hypothesis is that Western diet (characterized by milk/dairy products and meat) causes a trend of increasing levels of estrogens, and Western males show a higher incidence rate of prostate cancer than Asia males. Estrogen levels in prostate fluid are also correlated very well with the prostate cancer. During several decades, estrogens, together with testosterone, was commonly used to induce the rodent model of prostate cancer. Our hypothesis also was supported by the presence of estrogen receptors in the prostate gland and the genotoxic role of estrogens on the prostate gland, as possible mechanisms. Therefore, if modern milk consumption does expose consumers to high levels of estrogen and plays an adverse role in prostate cancer, action should be taken to produce the noncontaminant milk.
PMID: 14729019 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=16125328

1: Med Hypotheses. 2005;65(6):1028-37. Epub 2005 Aug 24.Click here to read Links
The possible role of female sex hormones in milk from pregnant cows in the development of breast, ovarian and corpus uteri cancers.

* Ganmaa D,
* Sato A.

Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.

The continued increase in incidence of some hormone-related cancers worldwide is of great concern. Although estrogen-like substances in the environment were blamed for this increase, the possible role of endogenous estrogens from food has not been widely discussed. We are particularly concerned about cows' milk, which contains a considerable quantity of estrogens. When we name cows' milk as one of the important routes of human exposure to estrogens, the general response of Western people is that "man has been drinking cows' milk for around 2000 years without apparent harm." However, the milk that we are now consuming is quite different from that consumed 100 years ago. Unlike their pasture-fed counterparts of 100 years ago, modern dairy cows are usually pregnant and continue to lactate during the latter half of pregnancy, when the concentration of estrogens in blood, and hence in milk, increases. The correlation of incidence and mortality rates with environmental variables in worldwide countries provides useful clues to the etiology of cancer. In this study, we correlated incidence rates for breast, ovarian, and corpus uteri cancers (1993-97 from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents) with food intake (1961-97 from FAOSTAT) in 40 countries. Meat was most closely correlated with the breast cancer incidence (r=0.827), followed by milk (0.817) and cheese (0.751). Stepwise multiple-regression analysis (SMRA) identified meat as the factor contributing most greatly to the incidence of breast cancer ([R]=0.862). Milk was most closely correlated with the incidence of ovarian cancer (r=0.779), followed by animal fats (0.717) and cheese (0.697). SMRA revealed that milk plus cheese make the greatest contribution to the incidence of ovarian cancer ([R]=0.767). Milk was most closely correlated with corpus uteri cancer (r=0.814), followed by cheese (0.787). SMRA revealed that milk plus cheese make the most significant contribution to the incidence of corpus uteri cancer ([R]=0.861). In conclusion, increased consumption of animal-derived food may have adverse effects on the development of hormone-dependent cancers. Among dietary risk factors, we are most concerned with milk and dairy products, because the milk we drink today is produced from pregnant cows, in which estrogen and progesterone levels are markedly elevated.

PMID: 16125328 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=12142232


1: Domest Anim Endocrinol. 2002 Jul;23(1-2):125-37.Click here to read Links
Mammary secretion of oestrogens in the cow.

* Janowski T,
* Zdunczyk S,
* Malecki-Tepicht J,
* Baranski W,
* Ras A.

Department of Obstetrics and Pathology of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. jantom@moskit.uwm.edu.pl

Two experiments in vivo and one experiment in vitro were conduced to examine the mechanisms involved, which lead to mammary secretion of oestrogens and its importance for milk production and udder health in cows. In experiment 1 in six cows of the White-Black breed on day 268 of pregnancy catheters were inserted into uterine vein of pregnant horn, the abdominal aorta and the caudal superficial epigastric (milk) vein. Blood samples for estimation of oestrone, oestrone sulphate, oestradiol-17alpha and -17beta by RIA were obtained daily from day 7 pre-partum until day 1 post-partum. Only the concentration of oestradiol-17beta was statistically higher (P< or =0.01) in mammary venous plasma than in aortal and uterine plasma. In experiment 2 forty late-pregnant cows were divided into two groups according to their milk production in the previous lactation: group 1 (n=20) high-yielding cows (>6500kg milk per lactation), and group 2 (n=20) low-yielding cows (<3700kg milk per lactation). Blood samples for measurement of oestradiol-17beta by RIA were collected from milk and tail veins every fourth day during a period from day 20 prior to parturition to day 4 post-partum. The concentration of oestradiol-17beta was significantly higher (P< or =0.01) in the milk vein than in the peripheral plasma from day 12 pre-partum to parturition. In high-yielding cows the level of oestradiol-17beta in mammary venous blood was significantly higher (P< or =0.01) than in low-yielding cows. In six cows with pathological udder oedema ante-partum the concentration of oestradiol-17beta in milk vein was significantly higher (P< or =0.05) than in control cows. There were no statistically significant differences in the levels of oestradiol-17beta in cows with clinical mastitis (n=10) during 2 weeks after parturition and without it (P> or =0.05). In an in vitro experiment, homogenates of mammary tissue collected on day 7 pre-partum from two cows were incubated with 3H-androstendione. After incubation the samples were extracted and 3H-oestradiol-17beta was separated by HPLC. 3H-oestradiol-17beta was formed in a total yield of 37%. These results indicate that oestrone, oestrone sulphate and oestradiol-17alpha are not secreted by bovine mammary gland. Furthermore, the secretion of oestradiol-17beta starts about day 12 pre-partum and is associated with milk yield and udder oedema. Preliminary in vitro study suggests the synthesis of oestradiol-17beta by mammary tissue.

PMID: 12142232 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=16149953

1: Reprod Domest Anim. 2005 Oct;40(5):460-7.Click here to read Links
Hormonal and metabolic profiles of high-yielding dairy cows prior to ovarian cyst formation or first ovulation post partum.

* Vanholder T,
* Leroy JL,
* Dewulf J,
* Duchateau L,
* Coryn M,
* de Kruif A,
* Opsomer G.

Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. tom.vanholder@ugent.be

The present study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of cystic ovarian disease (COD) in high-yielding dairy cows postpartum (pp). Hormonal and metabolic profiles during the first 3 weeks pp as well as during the final week prior to ovulation/cyst formation, were compared between dairy cows that developed either an ovulatory follicle (OV) or a cyst (CYST) < day 60 pp. Thirty-four lactations of 28 high-yielding (9500 kg/305 days) Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were studied. Ovaries of cows were scanned twice a week from day 10 pp on, until ovulation/cyst formation. Milk yield data, body condition scores and blood samples, for determination of oestradiol-17beta, insulin, beta-OH-butyrate and non-esterified fatty acids, were collected simultaneously. Milk samples for progesterone analysis were collected daily. Four lactations were excluded from further analysis because of irregular pp ovarian cyclicity, excluding COD. Eight lactations (26.7%) developed a cyst, while 22 lactations ovulated < days 60 pp. Ovulation and cyst formation occurred at similar times pp. Metabolic and hormonal profiles did not differ between CYST and OV lactations during the first 3 weeks pp. In the final week prior to cyst formation/ovulation, insulin concentrations were lower in CYST than in OV lactations while no differences were observed for any of the other parameters tested. In two lactations, cyst formation was preceded by suprabasal progesterone and increased oestradiol-17beta concentrations. These results suggest that cyst formation in high-yielding dairy cows pp is associated with lower insulin levels but not with other distinct hormonal and metabolic alterations. However from this study, we cannot exclude the involvement of subtle hormonal and metabolic changes in the pathogenesis of ovarian cysts. Suprabasal progesterone, and altered oestradiol-17beta concentrations, seem to play a minor role in cyst formation.

PMID: 16149953 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[R.B.]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

1: Int J Cancer. 2004 Jul 1;110(4):491-6. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Low-fat milk promotes the development of 7,12-dimethylbenz(A)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors in rats.

Qin LQ, Xu JY, Wang PY, Ganmaa D, Li J, Wang J, Kaneko T, Hoshi K, Shirai T, Sato A.

Deparment of Environmental Health, Medical University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi, Japan.

Commercial cow milk contains considerable amounts of estrogens. Our study assessed the effect of commercial low-fat milk on the development of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors in rats. Eighty 6-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats received a single oral dose of 5 mg DMBA. Twenty-four hours later, the animals were divided into 4 groups of 20 animals each and given 1 of 4 test solutions for 20 weeks as their drinking liquid: low-fat (1%) milk (M), artificial milk (A), estrone sulfate solution (0.1 microg/ml, E), or tap water (W). The artificial milk was formulated to supply essentially the same calories as the milk. The low-fat milk contained 378 pg/ml estrone sulfate. Tumor incidence, the cumulative number of tumors and the sum of tumor diameters were higher in the M and E groups than in the A or W groups. Overall, the development of mammary tumors was in the order: M = E > A = W. Whereas the plasma 17beta-estradiol concentration in the M group was the 2nd highest after the E group, the plasma level of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) was significantly higher in the M group than in the other 3 groups. In conclusion, commercially available low-fat milk promotes the development of DMBA-induced mammary tumors in rats. The degree of the promotion is almost comparable to that of 0.1 microg/ml estrone sulfate. The high estrogen content in the milk may be responsible for the promotional effects, acting in concert with other hormones such as IGF-I. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 15122580 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[R.B.]

A definate read for those on hormone blockers who could maybe check on levels in beef milk etc v circulating levels if on arimidex or similar to see if ingested hormones are significant in the scheme of things.

From a quick skim cattle are being hormone pelleted for production reasons.

I simply do not have the knowledge to do any more that highlight possibilites which may be relevant or not.

Skimmed milk seems to have much higher estradoil and full milk progesterone.

Meat had some ans offal looked like it might be high.

How does this compare with organic etc?

RB



Human Safety of Hormone Implants
Used to Promote Growth in Cattle
A Review of the Scientific Literature


http://72.14.221.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a


hormone concentrations (mg/L or mg/kg; ppb) in foods other than beef
Food
17b-estradiol
progesterone
testosterone
Skim milk
1.4–2.2
Whole milk
0.01–0.03
9.5–11.8
0.02–0.05
Butter
<0.03
141–300
<0.05
Cheese
0.01–0.03
44.2
0.48–1.41
Eggs
<0.03–0.22
12.5–43.6
0.04–0.49
Chicken meat
<0.03 – 0.02
0.24
<0.02 – 0.03
Boar muscle
0.91
3.71
Boar fat
0.43
11.96
Boar liver
9.67
1.2
Herring
<0.03
0.51
0.07
Potatoes
<0.03
5.07
<0.02
Wheat
<0.07
2.86
0.09
Rice
<0.07
0.38
Safflower oil
<0.03
0.71
0.21

..............Two outbreaks, one of breast enlargement in
young school children in Italy (45) and another of
precocious sexual development in Puerto Rico (176),
were suggestive of exposure to environmental estro-
genic compounds, possibly zeranol. In the case of
the Italian children, symptoms disappeared entirely
after 8 months and researchers suspected that one
consignment of meat or poultry might have contained
high levels of some estrogenic compound. In the
case of the Puerto Rican children, high levels of
estrogenic compounds were said to be present in
some local chicken and it was reported that
symptoms gradually disappeared after the children
stopped consuming local chicken, beef, and milk.
However, subsequent investigation of the Puerto
Rican outbreak by the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC), USDA, and FDA indicated that the outbreak
could have been the result of increased awareness
and reporting of cases by physicians (209).............

[Christine MH-UK]

Hi RB,

The idea that there is a link between cow's milk and breast cancer is a very popular idea here in the UK, but when I have looked for epidemiological studies showing a link, the evidence seems to be pretty weak, especially in the West, with low fat milk consumption actually being linked with a decreased risk of premenopausal breast cancer in a number of studies. Then there is the big Nurse's Study of breast cancer survival, which actually found that the only thing linked with improved survival in node-positive women was increased milk consumption.

Milk consumption is definitely linked with both prostate cancer and a type of ovarian cancer, and it has also been linked with acne in teenage girls, so there are some groups who might want to use something like soya milk instead, but the link with breast cancer is tenuous at best.

In talking to people here in the UK, I find it odd that more women seem to think that drinking milk is a risk factor for breast cancer than think that drinking alcohol is a risk factor, even though the links between alcohol and breast cancer are well established.

[R.B.]

I have not double checked but from what I have read Europe have banned subcutaneous hormone pelleting of cattle so the issue is of a lower level in Europen than the US etc.

The intake of dairy products seem to provide different levels according to product. Progesterone seems to be in cheese and full fat, and 17beta estradoil in low fat milk.

To come to any meaningful conclusion I suppose one would have to know what impact progesterone as well as the 17beta oestradoil might have, type of dairy cosumption, level of absorbtion after digestion.

Interestingly wheat and potatoes have significant levels of progesterone.

I wonder if any health records exist on populations with a high reliance on pastoral products with a history of long term dairy consumption but more traditional animal rearing - Swiss?.

It would be interesting to bet hormone figures of New Zealand / grass fed animals v corn fed.

As usual more questions than answers.

RB

[heblaj01]

I recall litening to two 1 hour radio broadcast presentations by a public health MD (from memory I believe his name was Stuart Levy from the USA) . This was 5 to 10 years ago. But I do not think what he presented has changed very much in the US.

He reported that in the US cattle industry feeding cattle with estrogen is an permissible practice. The intention is to increase the weight of the cows which brings an increase of gross profit of about $140 per head (multiply that by over 30 millions of cows & you see the economic aspect which drives the cattle industry lobby).

Normally ,according to regulation, the estrogen should be injected in an ear of the cows to slow & limit the amount absorbed. But in many cases the drug is illegaly injected in other parts of the animals to increase absorption up to a point where the dose is 200 times higher (if my memory serves me right) .

At the time of the broadcast it was said that only 10 US federal inspectors were assigned to check observance of regulation accross the country which essentially means no enforcement.

The MD reported epidemiology studies comparing the rate of cancer incidence over 2 periods of time for breast cancer (before & after the introduction of estrogen use in cattle) for different age groups of women.
There was a strong correlation between incidence & estrogen in livestock.

Here is a more recent article on the same subject:
http://www.phschool.com/science/scie...ones_beef.html Hormones: Here's the Beef

Environmental concerns reemerge over steroids given to livestock