Brie and blue cheese, like all dairy products, contain small amounts of natural hormones, including estrogen. However, these hormones are broken down in the digestive system and are not absorbed in their active form.

The milk that goes into making brie and blue cheese contains a small amount of natural hormones, such as estrogen. All types of milk (irrespective of whether it comes from a cow, goat, sheep or human) contains natural hormones including estrogen and progesterone. These are found in low concentrations in dairy foods including milk, cheese and yoghurt.

While some studies suggest that hormones can become more concentrated as milk is processed into cheese and other higher-fat dairy products, these hormones are broken down by digestive enzymes in the gut and are not absorbed in their active form, making them safe for consumption.¹

When it comes to added hormones, the Australian dairy industry banned the use of estrogen drugs in milking cows in 2008. You can find out more about this at dairy.com.au. This often means that international studies that analyse hormone content of dairy products cannot be applied to Australian dairy products.²

To understand more about what's in the dairy products you buy, you can contact the food manufacturer directly on their customer care line.

References

1. Kolok A, Ali J, Rogan E, Bartelt-Hunt S. The Fate of Synthetic and Endogenous Hormones Used in the US Beef and Dairy Industries and the Potential for Human Exposure. Current Environmental Health Reports. 2018;5(2):225-232.
2. Parodi P. Impact of cows' milk estrogen on cancer risk. International Dairy Journal. 2012;22(1):3-14.