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Only 7% of children who drink grassfed raw milk have allergies versus 44% of those who don’t consume this healthful traditional food. The asthma rate is lower and overall immunity higher for raw milk drinking kids too.
The Hygiene Hypothesis states that when children lack early exposure to infectious agents, parasites, and symbiotic microorganisms like normal gut flora such as would naturally occur in a rural or farm environment, they are much more likely to suffer from autoimmune disorders such as allergies or asthma.
This hypothesis helps to explain why farm kids tend to be so much healthier and far less prone to immune disorders than children raised in an urban setting.
Now, an international team of researchers has taken the Hygiene Hypothesis a step further by looking at how one raw milk protects against allergies in children. This is but one of the health benefits of raw milk, particularly from grassfed cows.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology is reporting that farm children who drink raw milk exhibit a far superior immune response than either farm children who don’t consume raw milk or children living in an urban setting.
Raw Milk Protective Against Allergies
The team of researchers led by Dr. Mark Holbreich MD, an allergy and asthma specialist, compared skin prick tests of mostly raw milk drinking Amish children aged 6-12 years old living in Indiana to non-raw milk drinking Swiss children living in either a farm or urban setting. Amish children in Indiana were chosen due to their genetic similarity to modern-day Swiss children.
The results of the skin prick tests to assess allergic sensitization are summarized as follows:
- Over 44% of the urban living Swiss children exhibited an allergic reaction.
- Approximately 25% of the non-raw milk drinking Swiss farm children had an allergic reaction.
- Only 7% of primarily raw milk drinking Amish children had an allergic reaction.
Reduced Asthma Risk
This study reinforces the results of the 2011 Gabriella study which found lower asthma rates as well.
Exposure to farm milk in early life and consumption of raw farm milk have been associated with a reduced asthma and atopy risk, and it has been suggested that this protection might be mediated through receptors of the innate immune system.
Stronger Immunity Overall
While the results of this large survey combined with allergy testing are very promising with raw milk potentially a very easy way for parents to safely increase the odds that their children avoid the lifelong burden of allergies and/or asthma, further research is warranted.  Dr. Holbreich’s team noted that some of the superior immune response of the raw milk drinking children may be due to the very large Amish families which may provide additional protective factors.
Should parents eager to provide their children with maximum lifelong vibrant health wait for these studies to occur?
While some parents may wish to remain cautious, more forward-thinking parents wishing to provide their children with a health edge today will no doubt seek to source grassfed raw milk immediately based on this information. Â As wisely noted by Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue in her book Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox:
We can’t always wait for science to identify the nutrients and test for them before we go ahead and benefit from them.
References
(1) The protective effect of farm milk consumption on childhood asthma and atopy
(2) Study of Amish children proves raw milk promotes health, boosts immunity
Yes it has really helped my sons asthma. I’m so so sad right now because the farm I get my milk from is under watch and we aren’t allowed to get our milk. My son had the worst cold right now too and we’ve had to resume puffer use for now. I’m so upset at this county (Canada) for robbing our children of such a nutrient dense and important food.
SC just made it legal!
Unless they are allergic to casein. Which really stinks.
I read this article and the follow up comments with greater and greater dismay. I suppose I should expect it from a blog such as this one, but I do want to urge any readers to please, please consider very carefully whether you really want to take this plunge. Pasteurization was the single biggest health advance for our country, ever. It exists for a reason. So very many dangerous diseases can be contracted from consuming raw dairy products, it boggles the mind. Salmonellosis, E. coli, Listeriosis, Campylobateriosis, Staphyloccocus aureus, Yersinia, and Brucella just to name some of them. The raw milk trend is gaining momentum from people who 1. who have been lucky so far to not have become sick yet and 2. aren’t very educated about the science behind pasteurization and 3. choose to overlook the dangers of these diseases and/or don’t understand how truly awful and life-threatening they are. If you or your loved one do survive them, you may have life-long physical ailments (E. coli – say hi to dialysis! if you live) and (Campylobacter – you didn’t really need all that colon did you?) OR at the very least, you will run up some very scary medical bills at the best. If you really don’t believe me, after all, I’m just some invisible internet writer, PLEASE do NOT feed this stuff to your kids. They are the most vulnerable population and I promise they will be the first to die if there are more than a few of those bad bugs present in your milk. Check out realrawmilkfacts.com before you go any further. You should at least get another opinion.
Hi Sarah,
My supplier of raw milk has just been shut down and now I am
not sure what way to go. In health food shops in Australia, fresh pasturised organic milk
Is available but very expensive. My family does not like coconut milk. Is it regular pasturised full cream milk better than no milk? Should I skim of the cream because of toxins in the fat molecules? Have you some advice?
Regards Beth
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or
did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. cheers
See this: zobacz,
I’d be curious if there are any studies on “regular” milk (pasteurized, homegenized, non organic) and allergies. Raw milk is “illegal” in our state, I have gotten sick from raw cheese before, and we live in suburbia, so the nearest dairy farm is 2 hours away. I am staying away from anything raw right now. My husband and I, as well as all 3 kids are completely allergy free, and drink A LOT of milk (like 4 gallons a week). My pediatrician has mentioned she has noticed fewer allergies in her patients who eat a lot of dairy. And also that kids allergic to dairy tend to have a gazillion other allergies too. Just curious!
@chubblywubbly: I just moved from NYC and used to order raw milk from uddermilk.com. They deliver to your door weekly (day depends on when they are in your neighborhood) and I think it is $10 a gallon. You can also get eggs, grass fed beef, and raw milk cheese! Loved it.
Hi Lee. Thanks for the correction. Sorry bout that Sarah.