Much of the ambivalence towards GMOs is the uncertainty of their effects on our bodies. Both short term and long term effects from the transgenic nature of of GMOs are unpredictable. This can be attributed to the “newness” of the technology itself. Because each discovery is essentially “ground breaking,” we can never truly know the consequences of consumption until after it has occurred. These chances we take in digesting genetically altered food can result in something as small as a minor allergic reaction, to a potentially fatal consequence.
In the past, the byproduct of genetic alterations of both animal and plant products have resulted in instances of cancer and degenerative diseases found individuals, to occurrences of sudden anaphylactic shock. Jeffrey Smith, a contributor for Oasis Advanced Wellness, details an instance in an article he wrote in which a consumer has a near death experience from a sudden allergic reaction to genetically altered soybeans. A company called Pioneer Hi-Bred inserted nut genes into soybeans in Brazil in 1996, causing some individuals who were allergic to the donator to go into anaphylactic shock.
Cows injected with rBGH could pass their problems onto us, source
In 1994, the FDA approved a hormone created by the popular GMO producer Monsanto. This hormone, known as rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) was injected into cows to stimulate growth. Later, it was found that this hormone had links to cancer and degenerative diseases, effectively increasing the risk of human breast, prostate, and colon cancer by 400-500%. The companies responsible claimed that these hormones would be removed from cow milk through the pasteurization process — but were proven wrong after Monsanto scientist themselves discovered that only 19% of the hormone was eliminated through a simulated pasteurization process. Furthermore, cows injected with rBGH are more susceptible to infection, and therefore require more antibiotics to remain healthy. The high levels of antibiotics from cow milk found in infected cows could potentially increase the levels of resistance within humans to doctor-prescribed antibiotics. Image going in to the doctor to deal with an ear infection, and finding out that you’re out of luck because the cow you drank from had one too many injections.
Many situations like the above have occurred in the past at the fault of genetically altered organisms. Can we honestly say that these unpredictable side effects are worth their weight in corn? It’s one giant science experiment — and we’re the guinea pigs. Years from now, we may find out that the cold-resistant tomatoes we’re putting in our salad have actually been slowly killing us.
Even nutritionally, we may be denying ourselves vital building blocks to our health by eliminating certain “undesirable” aspects of the vegetables and fruits that we eat. Can we honestly claim that GMOs provide a better alternative to organic foods, when they may deter our health and shorten our lives? Lets avoid cutting corners on both our food and our lifespan.