Understanding Hormones: Feeling Confident in Your Milk

As we all become increasingly informed about where our food comes from, we have questions. If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of milk that comes from cows treated with hormones, we’re here to help put those potential worries about milk’s safety and quality to rest.

When it comes to hormones, all cow’s milk, both conventional and organic, naturally contains miniscule amounts of hormones.

Some farmers choose treat their cows with a synthetic hormone, the FDA-approved rbST, to help cows produce more milk. That’s a decision each dairy farmer makes on his or her own. Some decide to use it to be more efficient, as it’s one way to produce enough milk for our growing population.

National and international government health officials have verified again and again that milk from cows treated with artificial hormones is safe – a fact that is supported by a number of health professional organizations.

In fact, during the 20 years that rBST has been used it also has been heavily researched. Those studies and reviews, which have come from organizations like the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association and Cornell University, all corroborate the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s affirmation and reaffirmation that milk from cows treated with rbST is just as safe and wholesome as the milk we’ve enjoyed for generations. Put plainly, milk from cows treated with hormones doesn’t have any effect on humans.  

Further, a recent study revealed similar findings, noting that after 20 years of use, no health concerns about supplemental hormones use have been proven.

Dairy companies have responded to consumer requests for choices in the dairy aisle, and many now offer milk made from cows not supplemented with rBST. This business decision is based on meeting a demand in the marketplace – it is not related to any health or safety issue. No matter which milk you pick off the grocery shelf and put into your cart, you can feel confident that it’s wholesome, safe and nutritious.