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Dangers of raw milk may outweigh any reported benefits
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Many cases of illness from raw milk thought to be unreported
The dangers of raw milk may outweigh any potential benefits. On average, one out of six people can develop illness from drinking raw milk, however that number is thought to be greater due to unreported and unconfirmed cases.
Some of the dangers of raw milk include bacterial infections from culprits such as Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter . Some even become ill with the parasitic infection cryptosporidiosis. The instances of illness were reported in a study conducted from 2001 to 2010 by the Minnesota Department of Health, and published in Emerging Infectious Diseases on December 11th.
The primary symptoms of illnesses caused by drinking raw milk are diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting that typically lasts a week. However, they can cause more severe symptoms and long term diseases.
The authors state that, “The results indicate that the number of sporadic raw milkâ€"associated illnesses is likely substantial, greatly exceeding the number of cases linked to recognized raw milkâ€"associated outbreaks. [T]he number of cases associated with reported raw milk consumption appears to be increasing, just as the movement to relax regulation of raw milk sales appears to be gaining momentum in many states.â€
Dr. Deborah MD argues against the dangers of raw milk on her site stating that, “The real issue is not whether raw milk obtained from grass-fed cows is safe. Rather, it’s that milk from commercially raised cows is actually dangerous to consume unless it is pasteurized.â€Â She claims that, “Numerous studies document the benefits of raw milk, including the “milk cure†used by the Mayo Clinic in the 1900s for diseases ranging from cancer to weight loss to chronic fatigue.â€
The researchers did note that their study is by no means definitive, and further research will need to be completed in order to confirm the link between the instances of illness and consuming raw milk.
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