Goat's Milk and Infant Kidneys: Risks & Nutritional Differences

When women are not able to breast feed their babies, many look for the healthiest, most natural second option. While goat's milk may seem more natural than formula, and closer nutritionally to breast milk than cow's milk is, it is still very different and ultimately, it is meant to nourish baby goats, not baby humans. The differences between breast milk and goat's milk may seem small, but to tiny infant organs it is vast and therefore potentially very harmful.

Protein Levels

• Goat's milk, like cow's milk, has much higher protein levels than that of human breast milk. The amount of protein in goat's milk can affect an infant's kidneys negatively, causing damage such as gastrointestinal bleeding.

Calcium, Sodium, and Phosphorus Levels

• Goat's milk is also much higher in calcium, sodium and phosphorus than human breast milk. Ingesting high levels of these minerals is hard on infant kidneys and the entire renal system, and can cause painful and sometimes irreversible damage, such as anemia and stunted growth.

Nutritional Deficiencies

• In addition to containing substantially higher amounts of protein, calcium, sodium and potassium, goat's milk is deficient in vitamins and minerals necessary to healthy human development. Goat's milk is low in iron, Vitamins C and E, and essential fats that babies get from breast milk. These deficiencies can lead to anemia and improper development. Additionally, the fats in goat's milk are much harder for human infants to absorb and use effectively.