While countries in the European Union have banned hormone use in beef because of the potential health risk, in the United States, the use of hormones in beef cattle is a standard practice. The Food and Drug Administration claims hormones pose no health threat, though not everyone agrees on the safety of this controversial practice. Alternatives to hormone-treated beef do exist for those not willing to take the chance, though you'll have to pay extra to get meat without added hormones.
About Hormones
The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of hormone drugs in beef since the 1950s. The hormones given to beef cattle help increase growth rate, the leanness of the meat and how efficiently cows turn the food they eat into meat in their bodies. Beef cattle in the United States are treated with natural hormones such as testosterone, estrogen and progesterone as well as synthetic hormones such as zeranol and trenbolone acetate. Before the FDA approved the use of these steroids, extensive studies and toxicological testing were conducted to make sure that the hormones in treated beef stay within the safe level for humans. According to the FDA, the hormones used don't harm the animals or the environment, and beef treated with hormones is safe to eat.
Criticism and Concern
Critics of the use of hormones in beef argue that eating beef treated with hormones can cause potential physical problems. According to Carlos Sonnenschein, professor of anatomy and cellular biology at Boston's Tufts University School of Medicine, hormone residues in beef may play a part in the early onset of puberty in girls, which in turn may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer. Further, a 2007 study published in the journal "Human Reproduction" found that pregnant women who ate beef more than seven times a week had sons more likely to experience poor sperm quality. The lead author of the study, obstetrics and gynecology professor Shanna Swan, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, further stated that the acceptable daily intake of hormones set by the FDA is based only on traditional toxicological testing, and the effects on humans have never been studied.
Other Viewpoints
Montana State University Extension beef specialist John Paterson argues that hormones in beef have "no physiological significance for humans whatsoever." Paterson claims that plant-source foods contain more estrogen than beef, and humans produce these same hormones naturally in amounts much larger than what could be ingested through food. Paterson also notes that hormone treatments reduce the fat found in beef, alleviate environmental impacts and increase beef production efficiency, thus lowering the overall cost of retail beef for consumers.
Considerations
If you're concerned about the use of hormones in beef, you don't necessarily have to give up meat altogether. Instead, consider purchasing organic beef, which contains no added hormones or antibiotics. Organic beef also frequently comes from cows that are grass-fed instead of grain-fed, and because of this the meat has less total fat and more healthy fatty acids like as omega-3 and alpha-linolenic acid. The American Dietetic Association notes that organic beef does cost more, and the price of this type of meat may be as much as 100 percent more than conventional hormone-treated beef.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Steroid Hormone Implants Used for Growth in Food-Producing Animals
- Organic Consumers Association: Beef Hormones Linked to Premature Onset of Puberty & Breast Cancer
- EurekAlert; Link Between Beef Consumption During Pregnancy and Reduced Sperm Quality in Sons; March 2007
- "Human Reproduction"; Semen Quality of Fertile US Males in Relation to Their Mothers' Beef Consumption During Pregnancy; S.A. Swan; 2007
- MSU Extension Beef Briefs: Question of the Week: Do Hormones and Antibiotics Cause Health Problems in Humans?
- EatRight.org: Consumers Stress over Organic Eating
