chem. / bio. :
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone
Manufactured hormone fed to cows in order to increase both their meat and milk productions.
The increase in growth is paid for by an increase in waste. Like all animals, the intake of an energy source (i.e. food) results in a certain amount of energy and a certain amount of waste. In synthetically increasing the speed/level of production, waste is also increased.
Furthermore, all tissue is inundated in hormones, rBGH like any other. This implies that muscle tissue (i.e. meat) contains rBGH. This implies...it's in what you eat.
The effects on humans of rBGH and other hormones which we are constantly (and I do mean constantly) exposed to is still unknown. Mostly likely effects are premature puberty (many young girls are starting to show secondary sex characteristics; one case has been reported -- I've seen the report but can do no more to substantiate -- in which a 3-yr-old became pregnant. Even if this extreme is not true, changes in humans are to be observed.) and increased aging effects. The long term effects are still unknown.