How gym influencers are risking deadly bird flu by drinking raw milk trends now
Gym influencers are risking a host of deadly infections, including bird flu, by drinking raw milk, experts have warned.
Raw milk does not go through pasteurization, a standard practice that involves heating liquids at high temperatures to kill off bacteria and other harmful contaminants.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the bird flu virus, also known as H5N1, had been found in raw milk samples at 'very high concentrations.'
As H5N1 spreads to 34 farms in nine states, experts have assured that pasteurized milk, which is standard in major retailers, is safe.
Dr Paul Saladino, a holistic physician also known as 'Carnivore MD,' claimed on TikTok: 'No matter how you get it, getting raw milk, raw dairy, in your diet is definitely going to improve your health. You're welcome'
Taylor Morgan, a Marine Corps veteran who calls himself 'The Captain,' posted a TikTok last year showing himself in the grocery store looking at a display of raw kefir. 'Raw kefir is one of the best foods that human beings can have. It's stupid that it's illegal in some states, so they have to market it as for pets. But I'm an animal,' he said
Initial testing showed that one in five commercial milk samples contained genetic fragments of H5N1.
However, there was no evidence of the live virus, suggesting the pasteurization process killed it off. 'These results reaffirm our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,' the FDA last week.
Though raw milk has consistently been proven to be unsafe and hold no additional nutritional benefit over pasteurized milk, TikToks showcasing the drink have gained nearly 26 million views, with gym bros and housewives claiming it's superior for muscle growth, allergies, and immune health.
The CDC classifies raw milk as 'one of the riskiest foods' and states that the germs it is could carry 'can pose serious health risks to you and your family.'
Experts also estimate that pasteurization kills 99.9 percent of pathogens.
Dr Paul Saladino, a holistic physician also known as 'Carnivore MD,' posted a TikTok video last year about 'why you should be drinking raw milk.'
He goes on to claim that kids who drink raw milk have lower rates of asthma, eczema, and allergies in adulthood, and that raw milk has high levels of the joint-healing compound methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).
Dr Saladino said: 'Interestingly, in studies looking [at] raw milk consumption, it's been found to be as effective as breastfeeding in reducing respiratory tract infections in kids.
'No matter how you get it, getting raw milk, raw dairy, in your diet is definitely going to improve your health. You're welcome.'
However, MSM can also be found in protein-rich foods like eggs, meat, poultry, fish, and legumes, as well as supplements.
Additionally, in the breastfeeding study Dr Saladino mentions, the authors note that while there could be some respiratory benefits to raw milk, it still has 'health hazards' that are important to consider.
In a response to another Carnivore MD video about raw milk, Dr Terry Simpson, a weight loss surgeon in California, said: 'This is downright dangerous.'
'Raw milk is not healthy for you. It doesn't contain more enzymes that are beneficial to you, and besides, enzymes that would be in raw milk would be destroyed by your stomach acid anyway.'
'It should be illegal because something that causes a public health concern, like raw milk does, should be illegal.'
Dr Simpson also noted that raw milk illnesses led to 98 deaths last year and has been associated with conditions like Guillain-Barre, which causes the body's own immune systems to attack the nerves and lead to paralysis.
Taylor Morgan, a Marine Corps veteran who calls himself 'The Captain,' posted a TikTok last year showing himself in the grocery store looking at a display of raw kefir.
Kefir
