Hormones in milk

I would think there are likely to be some hormones in cows milk naturally or added.
However pre teenagers are very likely to get spotty because of their own increasingly rampant hormones whether they drink milk or not.

Perhaps discussing with her the natural effects of her own hormones might help her make a more informed decision.

She is producing hormones of her own, which stimulate production of oils in her skin - these are what could make her spotty.

If she means ADDED hormones in milk, then "British farmers do not administer the hormone rBST (Bovine Stomatrophin) to boost milk production. In 1993, the European Union voted for a ban on the use rBST in the EU and for the import of products from rBST treated animals. The only hormones in British cows’ milk are naturally occurring.^

If she is adamant about not drinking milk (you can't argue with a spotty teenager!), then she or her mum should make sure that she gets calcium from other sources - there is a lot of info on the net - www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium-sources/ has a list, for example, but there are others. It may involve more "greens" than she can face, so some milk and some calcium from elsewhere could be the answer.

The EU banned the administration of hormones to beef cattle (and imported beef) in 1981
They were used as growth promoters. I don't think they have ever been used in dairy cattle. Mother cows have their own milk-producing hormones of course but if these hormones passed through to offspring in the milk, the babies would start growing breasts and lactating (this happens to a tiny extent via the placenta just before birth - newborns are often born with slight breast tissue enlargement that disappears very quickly)
I therefore conclude that milk is not full of hormones.
There can be some female hormones in drinking water due to the contraceptive pill, if the water has been used and re-used many times as it passes along a river system.
I think it is your own granddaughter's hormones that make her prone to spots at this age. Bless her.

There used to be a spot related thing that 'fatty' products cause spots. As does sugar. She needs a well balanced diet and you are so right, she needs her calcium, and iron too if she's having periods now. I would tell her you've looked it up and semi skimmed is fine. Then buy her some witch hazel and give her lots of fruit and veg too. Water, lots of water. At that age, they drink coca cola. Full of sugar and rots the bones and teeth. I will stand corrected on hormones in milk if anyone has any evidence but I grew up in a houseful of childen and we all drank milk. Some were spotty (me) some weren't (my step sisters) so some things are hereditary it seems but can be managed with good skin regime and good diet. And, tell her this, I'm having the last laugh now, as I have no wrinkles!

DS2, who used to drink milk by the pint, seldom had any spots; his brother who was not a big milk drinker, did have spots, though the worst ones were on his back. That was 30 - 40 years ago, so the contents of milk may have changed since then.

She could drink organic milk.

There is another thread where this was discussed and I think hormones are given to cows in the USA to increase production, but it is banned here (probably under EU law) as JessM and others have said

Does your DGD live in the States? If not, the milk should be OK here, especially if she drinks organic.

Thank you I will have a look at that article. I think she can easily get the wrong end of the stick at that age and her father is obsessive about sugar fat and the horrors of English food. They love our food and especially jelly!

Sorry to bring up politics but when we leave the EU, I assume this law could change? Scary thought.
I don't have much experience of teenage girls (except my own youth!) but I do think that it always just comes down to healthy eating but people whatever age are always looking for a quick fix solution.
I do think you're right that calcium is very important though. Good luck Stansgran

Lots of laws and regulations could, potentially be changed. I can only think of one EU policy that I disagree with and that is the one banning genetically modified crops. But where food is concerned anyone trading with the EU has to follow their line e.g. hormones in beef.

I read somewhere some time ago about the amount of female contraceptive hormones in drinking water, but cannot find the reference at the moment.

Sorry to bring up politics but when we leave the EU, I assume this law could change? Scary thought.
I am not sure - will they have to enshrine the good into UK law or just 'pick and mix' and keep what they like, discard what they don't like?
Presumably they will have to go through everything.

Unless it was enshrined in British law too?

UK guidance;

www.gov.uk/guidance/cattle-health#hormonal-treatments-and-antibiotics-for-cattle

Plenty of chemicals in the meat we eat anyway, Not that I think that's acceptable, but the EU has done little to change the 'rules' re worming of animals, use of prophylactic antibiotics, and so on. And it's just as bad with many of our vegetables.

So it's up to us to make sure things change for the better. Or do some people think we are incapable of that?

Sadly not all farmers are 'respondible' people.

I think most are and there is constant testing.

Believe me there are a fair few rogues in the farming communities and the testing is not as thorough as I would wish. I could tell you some tales you would never believe.

Just take for example how the last foot and mouth outbreak originated, at a certain pig farm and what the animals were being fed, illegally. And then of course, not much testing of horse meat until it had already entered the food chain several months later.

I lived for 20 years in a farming community Jalima

And the chemicals in farmed salmon.....

Milk isn't essential in the diet of a child. There is calcium in yogurt and cheese and butter. Also in green leafy vegetables and broccoli. I have never been able to drink milk, it induces severe vomiting! I grew up with strong healthy bones just eating a good varied diet.

If she is anti-milk, then she will be anti-cheese, yoghurt, butter.

Two of my daughters have not drunk milk since they were weaned. Both of them eat cheese, yogurt, cream, and butter and always have.

My paternal grandfather wouldn't eat anything that had milk in it. No milk in his tea (he was a non-beer-drinking miner so drank about a gallon of strong black tea daily) no custard, no cream. He probably ate butter.

It is not necessary to human health for us to drink milk or to eat milk products. Oriental diets haven't included milk and milk products until very recently. They got their calcium from some fruits and from seafood.

stansgran, maybe it's just her way of saying she doesn't like milk. Just accept it.

I can't stand the taste of milk, never drank it as a child or since and I don't take it in my tea. However, I like dairy products - cheese and yoghurt especially, and, need I say, hot chocolate. My dad made us chew revolting calcium tablets - he was also averse to milk. Nevertheless, I have rubbish teeth, but apparently that is owing to my childhood in the West of Scotland where the water is very soft. Mind you, I still have most of my own teeth.