Comprehensive Studies Say Milk Can Be Fatal

Milk is one of humans’ primary sources of nutrition, particularly of children and babies. There are lots of milk products in the market, and sometimes mothers get confused as to what is best for the family. With the rise of fad diets and superfoods, getting the right dairy product may become totally challenging.

Human breast milk and cow’s milk have been the focus of several studies; but for some reason, there always seems to have a point for debate at some point. Whether it be the composition or the benefits, these two types of milk have been a valuable center of controversy in the health sector. But recently, some research findings have revealed interesting facts - some of which have never been mentioned in early studies yet. The relatively new information from these research include:

How breast milk works inside the body

Breast milk has been regarded as the complete source of nutrients for newborns. Numerous benefits have been associated with this milk, but the mechanism behind its efficacy has not been clearly explained. A team of researchers from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank finally discovered how breast milk works inside the body.

It turns out that during digestion, breast milk turns into remarkably systematized structures that helps babies cope despite their immature gastrointestinal organs. Ben Boyd, a professor at the institute, reiterates that the elaborate structure of the human breast milk during digestion remains unknown, despite its highly valuable health benefits to human growth, development and survival. “By finding out what happens to milk during digestion it will allow us to better understand how the essential nutritional components for building brain tissue and other parts of the body are absorbed (and potentially) to design more effective … nutritional supplements,” he adds.

Long-term effects of breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is said to help children develop their cognitive functions better, and therefore earn more later in life. This premise is further strengthened by a research conducted by The Lancet Global Health which monitored 3,500 newborns for 30 years. Lead author Bernardo Lessa Hora from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil said that although it is well known that breastfeeding have positive effects on brain development and intelligence, the persistence of these effects in adulthood is not clearly established. “Our study provides the first evidence that prolonged breastfeeding not only increases intelligence until at least the age of 30 years but also (improves) educational attainment and earning ability … In the population we studied, breastfeeding was … evenly distributed by social class,” she adds.

Low calcium intake

Milk is a good source of calcium, but apparently the average human intake of calcium is not enough to meet the requirements. According to the national nutrition survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2011 and 2012, there are significant differences in calcium intake amongst different age and gender groups. Nearly half of men and boys, and about three quarters of women and girls do not meet the standard level of calcium based on their food intake. Surprisingly, these people meet the required amounts of other nutrients such as protein, vitamin C, vitamin B12, phosphorous and selenium, calcium intake falls short. It is then recommended that Australians increase their calcium sources, by adding more dairy products, fish and nuts in their diet.

Calcium as a disease prevention tool

Calcium has many uses. It does not only help the skeletal system to grow strong and healthy, but also aids the neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems to perform its functions well, said Steve Scarff of the Australian Self Medication Industry. Osteoporosis is a good example of what might happen if calcium intake is not enough. Osteoporosis is the degradation of the quality and density of the bones, leading is an overall weak skeletal system. It increases the risk of fractures, specifically of the hip, spine and wrist, and with the increasing population of older adults in Australia, the prevalence of osteoporosis is likely to shoot up.

Milk can cause death

It may be hard to believe, but a recent study conducted by a team of Swedish researchers discovered that increased milk intake is associated with a higher risk of death. According to the article published in The BMJ, the researchers hypothesise that the high levels of sugar in milk may be the key factor after analysing the dietary habits of the participants. According to Kerrie Sanders from the University of Melbourne, although the study was comprehensive, further investigation is necessary, particularly among Australians, as their genetics are quite different in terms of milk ingestion. “If Australians want to be cautious before more research is published then it would be prudent to obtain their calcium … from a variety of foods such as yoghurt, cheese, fermented milk, almonds and other non-dairy high calcium foods as well as milk,” she closes.

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