I am a big fan of the publication The Week - modestly subtitled “all you need to know about everything that matters.” There are often interesting quasi-medical stories – though often what I think is the story is some incidental thrown in at the end.
They had story about how the sale of breast pumps had soared since 2013. Partly because more women are already back to work soon after junior was born. Partly because breast pumps are covered by the Affordable Care Act.
But partly because there is an increased demand from some athletes who have become convinced that it is a magic formula that will provide more energy, more immunity and more appropriate protein (sort of echoing that cry amongst the anti cow’s-milk lobby who knock the idea of every school in the country pushing milk because “cow’s milk is for cows”).
Now it is reported that some one third of sales from sites like OnlytheBreast.com are to male athletes.
Partly catering to this market, presumably, there are ads on such sites touting the quality of the milk for sale - “100% organic (I can provide proof) DF, GF, SF, Vegan plant based Paleo (Pegan)momma.”
There is incentive mind. With breast milk selling for up to $4.00 an ounce means a gallon could cost $412 (not like that subsidized $4 a gallon cows milk in the store).
Critics of this slightly aberrant industry say it’s all myth. That adult digestive mechanism negates the benefit; that there’s a real danger breast milk (sold without any regulation) can be contaminated; and it’s encouraging an unhealthy industry, somewhat akin to selling body parts.
