The AMA Letter to the DGAC

On August 13, The American Medical Association (AMA) sent a letter to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC). In the letter the AMA encouraged the DGAC to clearly indicate in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that meat and dairy products are optional, based on an individual’s dietary needs.

The AMA cited evidence that links red and processed meat and dairy to various cancers and cardiovascular disease. The AMA also indicated that humans do not require meat and dairy nutritionally.

Although the AMA doesn’t specifically advocate the recommendation of whole food plant-based (WFPB) diets for Americans, this letter is a step in the right direction.

Do any Individuals Require Meat?

Advocates for WFPB diets may be surprised to learn that the answer to this question is yes.  People with the genetic condition called Systemic Carnitine Deficiency will require meat unless they supplement with an L-carnitine supplement.

 Carnitine is a non-essential amino acid that all animals, including humans can synthesize. Humans can make carnitine from the essential amino acid lysine, unless they are born with the genetic defect that results in excessive loss of endogenous carnitine in the urine. Dr. Michael Greger shares the results of a case study of a child with Systemic Carnitine Deficiency whose symptoms worsened when he became a vegan.  Some meat would be needed in his diet if he did not have access to an L-carnitine supplement. Apparently this genetic defect may occur in one in 40,000 births. This would mean that approximately 8250 Americans may have this condition.

So technically I can’t say that no one needs meat, but I can say that just about no one needs it.

Do any Individuals Require Milk/Dairy?

All newborn infants are incapable of synthesizing the necessary amount of carnitine and without exogenous (dietary) carnitine, symptoms of carnitine deficiency can occur. Human breastmilk is the perfect food for infants. Therefore it contains sufficient carnitine for all infants without the genetic condition that causes Systemic Carnitine Deficiency. Infants who cannot breastfeed will require carnitine as an ingredient in their infant formula.  Most infant formulas are made from cow’s milk that is altered to resemble human breast milk as much as possible. However, soy milk formulas are also popular. Both cow’s milk formulas and soy milk formulas have carnitine added to prevent formula-fed infants from developing signs and symptoms of carnitine deficiency (vomiting, lethargy and low serum glucose). So if a non-breastfed infant does not have access to a soy formula, then he/she will require a dairy based formula.  But once weaned off formula, milk or milk products of any kind are not necessary in the human diet. So if you’re over one years old, you don’t need dairy or plant milks.

Both the Harvard School of Public Heath’s Healthy Eating Plate and The Canadian Dietary Guidelines of 2019 do not include dairy as a recommended food group.

If you’re interested in reading more about independent (non-industry funded) research on dairy, click here to go to the Switch4good Science Research page.

Stay Healthy and Strong