When it comes to heart health, milk has had a mixed reputation. While some praise its benefits as a boost of calcium and protein, others link it with cardiovascular troubles. However, according to a study
conducted by the National Library of Medicine in the United States, no concrete evidence has been found to support the suggestion that milk raises the risk of heart disease or stroke.
The research was based on an analysis of older men in South Wales over two decades. The participants were between 45 and 59 years old when the study began in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The study involved participants being asked to weigh and record everything that they consumed over a period of seven days. In an extensive process, the researchers then followed the participants for 20 years and collected data related to their deaths, strokes, and heart disease challenges.
Among the participants followed and approached, the researchers found that 665 returned diet diaries that met the study’s standards. It amounted to a healthy 87 per cent of the overall participants. The researchers then further split these men based on milk consumption, comparing data for people who drank a median amount of milk with those who drank less.
After adjusting for other health-related factors, the researchers discovered that men with higher milk consumption showed a lower risk of ischaemic stroke. Their relative odds being 0.52, these men experienced about half the stroke risk of lower milk drinkers during the period that the study was active.
The pattern was similar for those dealing with ischaemic heart disease. However, no outright difference was observed. The relative odds came in at 0.88, with a confidence range of 0.56 to 1.40, reflecting no strong or direct effect in either case of high and low milk consumption.
More On The Study
The researchers found that the death from all causes looked nearly identical between the two groups formed on the basis of milk intake. No meaningful difference was discovered in overall mortality, with relative odds standing at 1.08.
The findings didn’t support the claim that milk consumption raises the risk of vascular disease. If anything, the data showcased a reduced risk of ischaemic stroke among men who consumed more milk. The study didn’t advocate that milk is protective in all cases or encouraged people with heart health concerns to raise their intake. It simply countered the argument that milk can be a threat to cardiovascular health.
