Harm of dairy products for adults

Author: Dmitry Konorov - biochemist-pharmacologist, trainer, dietitian.
2016-11-05

Cow's milk, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, and the list goes on of what the food industry does to delight its consumers with tasty products. Since childhood, people have known and loved dairy products not only for their taste qualities but also for the benefits they bring to health. Let’s delve deeper and figure out whether dairy products are harmful or beneficial, who needs them, and who does not.

Composition of Milk

To begin with, to answer the question of the benefits or harms of dairy products, let's break down their composition.

Milk consists of water (about 88%) and dry matter (about 12%). The dry matter includes:

• milk fat (3.8%),
• proteins (3.2%),
• sugar (4.2%),
• mineral substances (0.8%),
• vitamins, enzymes, hormones, pigments, and other chemical substances.

"Wow! What a wonderful and valuable drink; it has everything," you might say. Yes, it contains many beneficial substances and micro and macronutrients. Everyone is aware of milk sugar (lactose), which is not absorbed by everyone, but I will mention more than just that. Let's examine milk protein, which consists of:

• caseinogen (82%),
• albumin (12%),
• globulin (6%).

Milk Protein

Milk protein (the name speaks for itself) is the type of protein from which all dairy products are made, and the percentage of caseinogen is the highest, over 50% across all products.

Caseinogen is a phosphorus-containing protein found in dairy products primarily in the form of calcium salts. In terms of amino acid profile, it is a perfectly balanced protein.

However! To break down the structure of this protein, in other words, to digest it, we need the enzyme renin, which is only produced in children. Renin is a specialized enzyme designed to digest caseinogen; it is produced in children but not in adults. Why is this so? How do adults digest proteins, considering that caseinogen is also a protein?

Nature has taken care of this and equipped humans with the enzyme pepsin. The proteolytic activity (the pH at which the enzymes "work") of renin is 3.0-3.5, whereas for pepsin, it is 1.5-2.0. Here lies the answer: as one matures, the pH of gastric juice increases due to hydrochloric acid, which activates pepsin, while it deactivates renin. Over time, renin secretion decreases and eventually ceases.

Under the action of the enzyme, caseinogen is converted into insoluble casein. As a result, the primary protein in dairy products remains in the stomach for a long time and is broken down by pepsin.

Subsequently, pieces of casein enter the intestines and start to decompose. The result is a toxic effect on the body. In such cases, the average absorption is only about 30%. And they say cottage cheese is such a protein-rich product. Here’s another interesting fact: a certain amount of casein in the stomach converts to casomorphin. This, in turn, is a histamine releaser. And histamine is a mediator of allergic reactions. Eat cottage cheese—you’ll be healthy, as they say!

But that’s not all!

Lactose

Lactose is milk sugar that ferments, thereby shifting pH levels. Many often claim that there is no need to consume sugar. So, how is lactose any better? It is the same disaccharide, but unlike regular sugar, which is successfully digested by everyone, lactose requires a specialized enzyme called lactase, which ceases to be produced in adults if dairy products are eliminated from their diet.

Calcium and Phosphorus

Dairy products are also rich in such beneficial elements as calcium and phosphorus! However, for the successful absorption of calcium and phosphorus, vitamin D3 is required. Nowadays, dairy products high in this vitamin are produced. But that's not the main issue; the fact is that calcium and phosphorus compete with each other for absorption.

Alright, it's a minor detail—they compete, let them compete, there's vitamin D3. Good, but did you know that calcium acts as a blood thickener?! Well, now you do, as milk is so beneficial and has a lot of calcium!

Conclusions

1. The primary protein in milk is only fully absorbed in children, so the consumption of dairy products for the purpose of enriching the body with protein is pointless. Overall, the consumption of dairy products causes body intoxication, dyspeptic phenomena, exacerbations of gastrointestinal diseases, fluid retention, and in some cases, a diuretic effect. There is also a risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

2. Relying solely on dairy products to strengthen bone tissue does not meet expectations, as besides calcium, which is one of the main structural elements, other structural elements are also present in bone tissue. Remember, dairy products leach calcium from the bones! The consequence is a disruption of bone mineralization and arthritis.

3. Milk and dairy products are among the dietary allergens.

What should I do if I don’t want to give up dairy products?

Perhaps the best solution would be to replace cow's milk with plant-based alternatives.

You can also give up beloved cottage cheese and replace it with other protein products. Consuming a small amount of cheese and yogurt is less risky, as these are processed products. These are just some of the main facts regarding the harms of dairy products. Currently, the study of this issue is gaining momentum and becoming popular. My goal is to convey reliable information, and the decision is up to you. Analyze, verify, and draw your conclusions!

I, the author of this article, offer services for creating individual training, nutrition, and supplementation plans, as well as consultations. Preparation for powerlifting and bodybuilding competitions. Contact details: WhatsApp 89221302429, on VK.