OBJECTIVETo study the effect of endocrine disruptor chemicals in cow milk on female reproductive system.

METHODSA two-generation reproduction was conducted according to U. S. FDA standard. Milk was fed in special bottle to Wistar rats of both sexes through two successive generations (F0 and F1) in the milk group while artificial milk was fed to rats in the control group. Twenty-four rats of each sex were mated in each group. Measurements were made according to this guideline.

RESULTSReproductive parameters in the milk group such as fertility index, gestation index, weights of uterus and ovary, days of vaginal opening, estrous cycles, histological morphological changes were comparable to those in the control group. However, the means of body weight had some differences. The body weight gains increased significantly in the milk-treated group in F1 and F2 generation compared with those in the control group. The concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in blood in the milk group was comparable to that in the control group, but the standard deviation changed greatly in the milk-treated rats.

CONCLUSIONEndocrine disruptor chemicals in milk have no severe effects on the female reproductive system.

Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Cattle ; Endocrine Disruptors ; pharmacology ; Female ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Lactation ; Male ; Milk ; chemistry ; Ovary ; drug effects ; pathology ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Survival Analysis ; Uterus ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVESTo study the effects of estrogen-like products in milk on the male reproductive system.

METHODSThe incidence rates of testicular and prostatic cancers in 42 countries (regions), collected from the cancer incidence in five continent database (1988-1992), were correlated with the relative food consumption in these countries, which was provided by FAO database (1961-1990); two-generation reproduction test was taken by using Wistar rats according to FDA standard.

RESULTSAmong the food items examined, milk was most closely correlated (r = 0.711) with prostatic cancer incidence, followed by meat and coffee. As for testicular cancer, cheese was most closely correlated (r = 0.804) with the incidences in ages of 20-39, followed by animal fat and milk. No significant decreases of reproductive organ weight were found after the rats had been fed a lot of milk for long time.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that further studies should be taken on the effects of estrogen-like products in milk on the male reproductive health.

Adult ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Estrogens ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Milk ; adverse effects ; Prostate ; drug effects ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testicular Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Testis ; drug effects