Potential Risk of Growth Promoter in Beef for Breast Cancer Growth
Abstract
Anabolic agents increase weight gain in meat-producing farm animals by enhancing protein deposition and improving feed conversion, as well as increasing the muscle-to-fat ratio. By promoting growth, reducing feed costs and improving the quality of meat produced, the use of such agents has become an important practice in the meat-producing industry. These anabolic agents have biological activities in common with natural estrogenic, androgenic and progestogenic steroid hormones that have potential effects on protein metabolism. The liver easily degrades trace amounts of natural steroid hormones, such as testosterone and estradiol-17beta in foodstuffs consumed by humans, therefore the concern that these natural compounds may pose a health risk to humans is considered negligible. Our research project has focused on the anabolic compound, zeranol (Ralgro) which is a non-steroidal, synthetic agent possessing estrogenic action similar to the natural estrogens. Zeranol has been approved by the FDA as a growth promotant for use in the beef, veal, and lamb industries in the U.S. The FDA-approved route and dosage of administration is 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. Although concerns regarding the potential health risk of zeranol residues in the edible tissues (such as muscle, fat, liver and kidney) of zeranol-implanted beef cattle exist, no scientific evidence has demonstrated in a convincing manner the presence of such a risk to federal regulatory agencies such as the FDA and the USDA or to the U.S. consumers at- large. Our research focus has been the potential health risk posed by the consumption of meat from zeranol-implanted beef cattle for human breast cancer growth.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA406158
Entities
People
- Lin Young
Organizations
- Ohio State University