Doctors Want FDA To Warn Women About Cheese And Breast Cancer Link

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Breast Cancer

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a nonprofit organization, has asked the federal government to consider adding a label to cheese products that would warn women about the possible risk of breast cancer.

Doctors said hormones found in cow milk-based cheese could contribute to the development of breast cancer.

In early October 2019, the PCRM sent a petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of a campaign they set up for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The petition highlight a study that found that cheese products that had high-fat content could increase by 53 percent the risk of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer was named by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the second most common cause of death for women in the United States. Breast Cancer affects over 240,000 women yearly and causes more than 40,000 deaths.

PCRM aims to promote plant-based nutrition and lower the consumption of animal products. Up to 12,000 members of the organization agreed with the findings that cheese made from cow’s milk could be harmful.

The PCRM is concerned that hormones can be transferred to cheese from cows during the manufacturing process. These hormones are potentially harmful IGF-1 hormones which have been directly linked to breast cancer.

Neal Barnard, president of PCRM, said in a press release: “Instead of cheese manufacturers slapping a pink ribbon on products as they have done during previous Breast Cancer Awareness Months, they should be adding warning labels.”

Continuing, he added: “We want women to be aware that dairy cheese could put them at risk of dying from breast cancer.”

The PCRM noted that women could continue to eat some cheese and dairy products. Low-fat dairy products could offer benefits, such as lowering the risk of cancer.

However, not everybody agreed with the study. Nutritionist Keri Gans expressed concern saying the research involved too many variables to directly link cheese too and increased risk of breast cancer.

She said that the lifestyle of the woman and other dietary factors should be considered.

The nutritionist added a well-balanced diet would allow women to avoid the adverse effects of cheese by managing daily consumption and intake of saturated fat.

Gans added: “There is no danger in cheese/ We can’t blame anything on one particular food, as much as we might like to. We need to look at a person’s total diet. I’m not convinced, and I’m not sure the consumer should be either.”

Sources:

MSN.com: Doctors Want FDA To Warn Women About Cheese And Breast Cancer Link

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