Lucy, you make me blush. Thank you. Of course I only saw this because of my
interest in oxytocin and other hormones involved in parenting --- and because
I had just found the below new study last week --- also always wondering
about the hormones in cow's milk and anything surviving into formula.
I agree with all the great info provided here except for mixed feelings about
what happens in the stomach. I've never been able to find a reference for the
level of oxytocin in breastmilk though I have found that in plasma of regularly
pumping mother it might average around 60pg/ml --- compare that to the
below study that found around 15pg/ml surviving pasteurization of cow's milk.
Yes, it's supposed to be short-lived but not sure on the total meaning of that
as it does last to be measured after collection and pasteurization and if it all
died quickly then the study wouldn't have been done, as the question would
be moot.
As to hormones and other things surviving in the stomach, first, things will
survive for longer in the infant stomach, by design, as theirs is much less
acidic, and then their intestines are much more "open" to passing things
through. Secondly, I'm often bothered by how the medical community will
claim, when convenient, that this and that would never survive the stomach
experience but then, when desired, will complain of the "dangers" of things like
glandular supplements sold in healthfood stores etc. We know that estrogenic
pesticides and flax and soy products consumed orally have measurable
endocrine actions in humans. Growth hormone IGF1 is higher in the plasma of
those who drink high levels of cow's milk. "The pill," thyroid hormone, and
other hormones are taken orally and are effective (dunno if they're protected
somehow but don't think there's much done there). Hormonal effects on little
boys consuming hormone-laden chickens... Concerns about hormones surviving
in drinking water... I've seen studies on TGFbeta activity comparisons in
infant's system depending upon whether fresh mom's milk or pasteurized donor
(it's still active in infant). All this is just to say that I'm certain that many
hormones and other interesting proteins consumed are delivered to our
systems beyond the stomach -- certainly variable among people and
days/diets. Milk is specifically designed to help various proteins/factors in it
survive the digestive process and the incredibly high calcium in cow's milk
alone helps anything taken with it to survive (why they used to say take meds
with milk). High cow's milk consumption is associated with higher cancer (and
yes, acne) rates and it appears that the hormones are a big part of it, directly
and from antibody reactions to them. Well, in fact, we have high diabetes in
infants receiving early formula theoretically from infant making antibodies to
the insulin or IGF1 in the formula.
OK, so all that is just to say that some tiny level of oxytocin might be attained
from mom drinking cow's milk. I imagine far lower amounts survive in formula,
with all the processing and storing that goes on. Yes, the asker was reminded
that oxytocin is for let-down but that's a necessary factor of delivering milk as
well though and if milk is not delivered well, prolactin won't be released and
more production won't be stimulated. Additionally, we can wonder about the
amount of prolactin found in cow's milk. Something I've not looked into but it's
the same question.
Want to increase mom's oxytocin (and prolactin)?? Lots of skin-to-skin
contact with baby, lots of attempted suckling even if not successful, mom
being the one to attend quickly and affectionately to all of baby's cries.
Here's the paper I discussed:
Analytica Chimica Acta Volume 636, Issue 1, 16 March 2009, Pages 111-115
To address people's concerns of exogenous oxytocin (OT) administration to
lactating bovines, a study was undertaken to (a) establish an enzyme
immunoassay (EIA) for OT determination in milk, (b) quantify OT in milk of
cows administered OT, and (c) study influence of pasteurization on OT
stability in milk. .... Milk samples collected from cows (n = 38) administered
either 25 or 50 IU OT prior to milking were investigated for the presence of
OT. There was no significant difference among both groups with the mean
concentrations of OT being 15.8 and 14.9 pg mL−1 for cows subjected to 25
and 50 IU OT administration, respectively. The OT levels in skim milk of control
cows (n = 30; untreated) were basal (around 10 pg mL−1). All the analyzed
milk samples were below the CCá value of 30 pg mL−1. Pasteurization of OT
spiked milk samples at different temperature and sample holding conditions
reduced the immunological activity of OT to 43% at 110 °C. However, no
further decline occurred in the immunological activity with increased
pasteurization temperature and time. It was concluded that the milk OT
concentrations after OT administrations were minimal and below the assay
decision limit. However, OT was quite stable to pasteurization in OT spiked
milk.
Since you mentioned my book "Baby Matters," it's only available via Amazon
right now as I've been picked up by large publisher for re-release in September
as "The Baby Bond." Some updating and a few new sections have occurred
(now 1200 text-specific references rather than 1100) but the message is the
same.
linda folden palmer, dc
www.BabyReference.com
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