News Brief by Jessica Newfield
Professor Karl Michaelsson’s Swedish research team completed
a study that showed a positive association between milk intake and mortality
rate. Due to the observational nature of the study, however, a cause and effect
relationship could not be determined. Michaelsson and team drew positive
correlations between the high levels of lactose and galactose (sugars in milk)
and the biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, which consequently affects
the risk of bone fractures and death.
The results of this study thus question the
validity of promoting milk intake to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures.
With the global increase in consumption of animal food products (including
milk), this study raises the level of urgency to identify the association
between milk intake and mortality more definitively.
BMJ-British Medical Journal.
"High milk intake linked with higher fractures and mortality, research
suggests." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 October 2014.
.