We’ve always drunk milk because we know it is good for us although it isn’t without controversy. The message is that it helps us to build healthy bones and teeth, strong muscles and contains proteins needed for general health and well-being. A study shows that it might also halt cognitive and mental decline by maintaining brain structure and function, especially where aging is occurring.
Kansas University Medical Center researchers, In-Young Choi, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Neurology, and Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Dietetics and Nutrition assessed 60 subjects using brain scanning (Choi et al., 2015). They also measured glutathione levels, a powerful antioxidant that has been demonstrated in other studies to halt losses in cognitive function.
The subjects kept a diary of all they consumed and interestingly, those who drank milk correlated with the highest levels of glutathione in their brains. Those who did not drink as much milk did not have such high levels of glutathione. This correlation was independent of their age too.
Glutathione is an effective antioxidant which is part of the biochemical processes that stop cell damage. It is considered to protect the brain by minimising damage by free radicals collectively known as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is considered a contributing factor in a number of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Although the liver naturally produces glutathione, increasing the amount of the antioxidant throughout the body could amplify its positive effects. By reducing oxidative stress within the brain researchers hope to reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The study builds on a growing body of evidence for the continued nutritional benefits of milk in helping maintaining high brain function. The researchers will continue to investigate the benefits of milk by conducting randomised controlled studies to examine the effects further.
The research also builds on a 2012 study that found a correlation between dairy consumption and increased cognitive performance. Researchers at the University of Maine administered memory tests to over 900 adults aged 23 to 98 (Crichton et al., 2012). They found that people who consumed more milk performed better on the brain-assessment tests, regardless of their age, just like this most recent study. They attributed this to levels of magnesium which are attributed to minimising memory loss.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends three servings of dairy daily. Some nutritionists however caution that dairy could increase the likelihood of cardiovascular (heart) disease and stroke because of the high saturated fat content. It is worth consulting the article written by Peter Jones for his perspective on the Kansas study and the health benefits of milk.
References
Choi, I. Y., Lee, P., Denney, D. R., Spaeth, K., Nast, O., Roth, A. K., … & Sullivan, D. K. (2015). Dairy intake is associated with brain glutathione concentration in older adults. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ajcn-096701.
Crichton, G. E., Elias, M. F., Dore, G. A., & Robbins, M. A. (2012). Relation between dairy food intake and cognitive function: the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. International Dairy Journal, 22(1), 15-23. doi:10.1016/j.idairyj.2011.08.001
Jones, P. J. (2014). New health benefits of dairy products. AJCN doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.103549
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