Jane Plant's conviction that dairy products can cause cancer arises from the complex chemical makeup of milk. All mature breast milk, from humans or other mammals, is a medium for transporting hundreds of chemical components.
It is a powerful biochemical solution, designed specifically to provide for the individual needs of young mammals of the same species. Jane says: "It is not that cow's milk isn't a good food. It is a great food- for baby cows. It is not intended by nature for consumption by any species other than baby cows. It is nutritionally different from human breast milk, containing three times as much protein and far more calcium.'
Breast milk, like cow's milk, contains chemicals designed to play an important rote in the development of young cattle. One of these, insulin growth factor IGF-1, causes cells to divide and reproduce.
IGF-1 is biologically active in humans, especially during puberty, when growth is rapid. In young girls it stimulates breast tissue to grow and, while its levels are high during pregnancy, the hormones prolactin and oestrogen are also active, enlarging breast tissue and increasing the production of milk ducts in preparation for breast-feeding.
Though the concentration and secretions of these hormones in the blood are small, they exert a powerful effect on the body. All these hormones are present in cow's milk. IGF-1 is identical in make-up, whether in human or cow's milk, but its levels are naturally higher in cow's milk. It is also found in the meat of cows.
High levels of IGF-1 in humans are thought to be a risk factor for breast and prostate cancer. A 1998 study of pre-menopausal women revealed that those with the highest levels of IGF-1 in their bloodstream ran almost three times the risk of developing breast cancer compared with women who had low levels. Among women younger than 50, the risk was increased seven times.
Other studies have shown that high circulating levels of IGF-1 In men are a strong indicator of prostate cancer. Interestingly, recent measures to improve milk yields have boosted IGF-1 levels in cows. Could IGF-1 from milk and the meat of dairy animals cause a build-up in humans, especially over a lifetime, leading to inappropriate cell division? Though we produce our own IGF-1, could it be that the extra amounts we ingest from dairy produce actually cause cancer?
Jane Plant already knew that one way the high-profile drug tamoxifen, used in the treatment of breast cancer, is thought to work by lowering circulating levels of IGF-1.
IGF-1 is not destroyed by pasteurization, but critics argue that it is destroyed by digestion and rendered harmless. Jane believes the main milk protein, casein, prevents this from happening and that homogenization, which prevents milk from separating into milk and cream, could further increase the risk of cancer-promoting hormones and other chemicals reaching the bloodstream.
She also believes there are other chemicals in cow's milk that may be responsible for sending muddied signals to adult tissue. Could prolactin, released to stimulate milk production in cows, have a similar effect on human breast tissue, effectively triggering the same response and causing cells to become confused, stressed and start making mistakes in replicating their own DNA? Studies have confirmed that prolactin promotes the growth of prostate cancer cells in culture.
Another hormone, oestrogen, considered one of the main risk factors for breast cancer, is present in milk in minute quantities. But even low levels of hormones are known to cause severe biological damage. Microscopic quantities of oestrogen in our rivers are powerful enough to cause the feminisation of many male species of fish. While oestrogen in milk may not pose a direct threat to tissues, it may stimulate the expression of IGF-1, resulting in long-term tumour growth.
Jane, who has found growing support for her theories from cancer specialists, stresses that she is not setting out to attack more orthodox approaches. She intends her dietary programme to complement the best therapies available from conventional medicine, not to replace them.
It is a powerful biochemical solution, designed specifically to provide for the individual needs of young mammals of the same species. Jane says: "It is not that cow's milk isn't a good food. It is a great food- for baby cows. It is not intended by nature for consumption by any species other than baby cows. It is nutritionally different from human breast milk, containing three times as much protein and far more calcium.'
Breast milk, like cow's milk, contains chemicals designed to play an important rote in the development of young cattle. One of these, insulin growth factor IGF-1, causes cells to divide and reproduce.
IGF-1 is biologically active in humans, especially during puberty, when growth is rapid. In young girls it stimulates breast tissue to grow and, while its levels are high during pregnancy, the hormones prolactin and oestrogen are also active, enlarging breast tissue and increasing the production of milk ducts in preparation for breast-feeding.
Though the concentration and secretions of these hormones in the blood are small, they exert a powerful effect on the body. All these hormones are present in cow's milk. IGF-1 is identical in make-up, whether in human or cow's milk, but its levels are naturally higher in cow's milk. It is also found in the meat of cows.
High levels of IGF-1 in humans are thought to be a risk factor for breast and prostate cancer. A 1998 study of pre-menopausal women revealed that those with the highest levels of IGF-1 in their bloodstream ran almost three times the risk of developing breast cancer compared with women who had low levels. Among women younger than 50, the risk was increased seven times.
Other studies have shown that high circulating levels of IGF-1 In men are a strong indicator of prostate cancer. Interestingly, recent measures to improve milk yields have boosted IGF-1 levels in cows. Could IGF-1 from milk and the meat of dairy animals cause a build-up in humans, especially over a lifetime, leading to inappropriate cell division? Though we produce our own IGF-1, could it be that the extra amounts we ingest from dairy produce actually cause cancer?
Jane Plant already knew that one way the high-profile drug tamoxifen, used in the treatment of breast cancer, is thought to work by lowering circulating levels of IGF-1.
IGF-1 is not destroyed by pasteurization, but critics argue that it is destroyed by digestion and rendered harmless. Jane believes the main milk protein, casein, prevents this from happening and that homogenization, which prevents milk from separating into milk and cream, could further increase the risk of cancer-promoting hormones and other chemicals reaching the bloodstream.
She also believes there are other chemicals in cow's milk that may be responsible for sending muddied signals to adult tissue. Could prolactin, released to stimulate milk production in cows, have a similar effect on human breast tissue, effectively triggering the same response and causing cells to become confused, stressed and start making mistakes in replicating their own DNA? Studies have confirmed that prolactin promotes the growth of prostate cancer cells in culture.
Another hormone, oestrogen, considered one of the main risk factors for breast cancer, is present in milk in minute quantities. But even low levels of hormones are known to cause severe biological damage. Microscopic quantities of oestrogen in our rivers are powerful enough to cause the feminisation of many male species of fish. While oestrogen in milk may not pose a direct threat to tissues, it may stimulate the expression of IGF-1, resulting in long-term tumour growth.
Jane, who has found growing support for her theories from cancer specialists, stresses that she is not setting out to attack more orthodox approaches. She intends her dietary programme to complement the best therapies available from conventional medicine, not to replace them.
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