Potential Risk of Growth Promoter in Beef for Breast Cancer Growth
Abstract
The use of anabolic agents has become an important practice in the meat-producing industry, as such agents increase weight gain by enhancing protein deposition and improving feed conversion, as well as increasing the muscle-to-fat ratio. As a result, feed costs are reduced and the quality of meat is improved. These anabolic agents have biological activities in common with natural estrogenic, androgenic and progestogenic steroid hormones, which have potential effects on protein metabolism. The presence of trace amounts of natural steroid hormones in foodstuffs consumed by humans are easily degraded by the liver, therefore the concern that these natural compounds may pose a health risk to humans is considered negligible. Our research project has focused on the synthetic anabolic compound, zeranol (Ralgro-R), which is a non-steroidal agent possessing estrogenic action similar to the natural estrogens. Zeranol is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a growth promoter for use in the beef, veal, and lamb industries in the U.S. Administration of zeranol is by the subcutaneous implantation in the ear of a pellet containing 36 mg of zeranol per beef heifer followed by a second pellet 30 days later. Thus, people are exposed to Z as a consequence of the direct and intentional introduction of the compound into food animals by veterinary professionals on behalf of beef industry farmers. The motivation for our research is our concern is that the consumption of food products, particularly beef, derived from food animals treated with Z has a potential health impact on human consumers, particularly with respect to reproductive endocrinology and hormone-sensitive organs. Our experimental data generated from research supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Breast Cancer Research Program supports this concern by providing a putative link between Z and risk for human breast cancer growth.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA404821
Entities
People
- Young C. Lin
Organizations
- Ohio State University