In a new study from the University of Reading, researchers found that regular consumption of milk is not linked to increased levels of cholesterol
They looked at three large population studies and found that people who regularly drank high amounts of milk had lower levels of both good and bad cholesterol, although their BMI levels were higher than non-milk drinkers.
Further analysis of other large studies also suggests that those who regularly consumed milk had a 14% lower risk of coronary heart disease.
In the study, the team took a genetic approach to milk consumption by looking at a variation in the lactase gene associated with the digestion of milk sugars known as lactose.
They found that among participants with a genetic variation that is associated with higher milk intake, they had higher BMI, body fat, but importantly had lower levels of good and bad cholesterol.
The team also found that those with the genetic variation had a much lower risk of coronary heart disease.
All of this suggests that reducing the intake of milk might not be necessary for preventing heart diseases.
The research was conducted following several contradictory studies that have previously investigated the causal link between higher dairy intake and cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
The team conducted a meta-analysis of data in up to 1.9 million people and used the genetic approach to avoid confounding.
Even though the UK biobank data showed that those with the lactase genetic variation had an 11% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, the study did not suggest that there is any strong evidence for a link between higher milk intake and increased likelihood of diabetes or its related traits such as glucose and inflammatory biomarkers.
But the study certainly shows that milk consumption is not an issue for heart disease risk even though there was a small rise in BMI and body fat among milk drinkers.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about this kidney problem linked to heart failure and findings of this stuff in blood could protect against heart failure, kidney damage.
For more information about heart disease prevention and treatment, please see recent studies about these 5 eating tips could keep you heart healthy and results showing that 10 heart tests your doctor may let you do, and what they mean.
The study is published in the International Journal of Obesity. One author of the study is Prof Vimal Karani.
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