Drinking This Milk Could Make You Age Faster

Several studies have been analyzing the effects of dairy products on human health. While certain studies have indicated that consuming cow’s milk had health benefits, others have indicated that it increased one’s risk of disease and mortality. But, a recent study reported that consuming high-fat milk increases one’s rate of aging.

By far, the influence of milk and milk fat on oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular longevity hasn’t received much attention. The length of telomeres has been measured to index cellular longevity. Individuals with short telomeres tend to age earlier, prone to premature death and are more likely to suffer more from chronic diseases, heart diseases, depression, cancer, and obesity.

Diet plays a vital role in biological aging. Regular consumption of healthy foods including nuts and seeds are associated with longer telomeres and eating unhealthy foods such as processed meats is associated with shorter telomeres. Consumption of oils and fats is linked to shorter telomeres and increased biological aging.

The researchers sought to assess the extent of demographic lifestyle and other dietary factors that influence the milk and telomere relationships. They also analyzed the role of saturated fat consumption, a major role of the fat content present in the cow’s milk.

The study included more than 5800 American adults. Based on the data, they reported that individuals who drank skim and 1-percent low-fat milk experienced several years less biological aging compared to those who consumed whole milk or two-percent milk.

It was surprising how strong the difference was. If you’re going to drink high-fat milk, you should be aware that doing so is predictive of or related to some significant consequences,” Slash gear quoted the study’s author Larry Tucker.

This doesn’t mean that milk is completely bad for health. It has several beneficial elements such as protein and calcium. This study pointed out that, while low-fat milk consumers had longer telomeres compared to high-fat milk consumers, those who consumed no milk had shorter telomeres than the low-fat milk consumers. The findings highlight the fact that people shouldn’t completely eliminate dairy from their diet but opt for low-fat options to gain health benefits.