Milk has long been recommended by doctors and nutritionists for boosting calcium intake and helping to keep bones strong but according to a research, drinking three glasses of milk doubles the risk of early death and does not prevent broken bones.
After tracking 61,000 women and 45,000 men for 20 years, the study found no reduction in broken bones for those who consumed the most milk.
According to the study, those who drank three glasses or more a day (680ml) were twice as likely to die early than those who consumed less than one.
The study’s lead author, Professor Karl Michaelsson, of Uppsala University in Sweden, said: “Our results may question the validity of recommendations to consume high amounts of milk to prevent fragility fractures. A higher consumption of milk in women and men is not accompanied by a lower risk of fracture and instead may be associated with a higher rate of death.”
While milk contains calcium which is needed for bone building, researchers believe the fat in milk cancels out the positive effects of calcium, triggering inflammation and increasing the risk of heart attacks. Low fat dairy products like cheese and yoghurt were recommended as they were found to have beneficial effects, reducing early death and promoting bone health.
The research was published in the British Medical Journal.
Jake