Dairy products are the best source of calcium in the diet and calcium is the main mineral in bones.
That's why health authorities recommend that we drink three glasses of milk a day.
However, one problem is that the countries that consume the most milk are also the places Many people have the most osteoporosis .
Milk has no meaning in evolution
For me, the idea that people "need" dairy products is not true, because we do not consume milk during evolution.
People are animals only consuming milk after weaning, and also animals only consuming milk of other species.
For these reasons, the use of dairy products may be considered "unnatural" and is relatively new to humans. We have evolved over millions of years, and have only consumed milk for about 10,000 years (the exact number remains ).
There have been data showing that the human skeleton in the hunting period is extremely strong. People at this time did not drink milk after weaning but they added a significant amount of calcium from other sources .
So from an evolutionary point of view, milk really has no meaning in optimizing bone health.
However, whether or not dairy products necessary But it does not mean that it does not bring any benefit.
Conclude: On an evolutionary scale, people only consume milk for a relatively short time. We are also the only species that consumes milk from other species after weaning, as well as consuming non-human milk.
Summary of osteoporosis
is a progressive disease with weakened bone mass, weight loss and minerals over time.
The name accurately describes the nature of the disease.
Osteoporosis = bone sponge .
The disease is caused by a variety of causes and completely unrelated factors can be an important cause, such as exercise and hormonal exercise.
Osteoporosis is more common in women, especially menopausal women. Osteoporosis greatly increases the risk of bone fractures, which seriously affects the quality of life.
Why calcium is important
play a role in structure, but they also play a role in containing calcium, and participate in many functions in the body.
The body maintains blood levels of calcium at close range. If you don't get enough calcium from your diet, your body will take calcium from your bones to serve important activities in life maintenance.
Some calcium is excreted continuously in the urine. If the diet cannot compensate for the loss of calcium, then over time the bone lacks calcium, making bone density low and more likely to break.
Conclude: Osteoporosis is a common disease in Western countries, especially menopausal women. This is also the leading cause of fractures in the elderly.
Hypotheses about protein and bone health
Some people believe that despite high levels of calcium, dairy products can cause osteoporosis because it has High protein content .
The reason is that when the protein is digested, it increases the acidity of the blood. So the body will have to take calcium from the blood to neutralize the acid.
This is the theoretical basis for alkaline acid diet based on alkaline-based foods and avoid "acid-forming" foods.
However, there is no scientific evidence yet to support .
On the other hand, high protein content in milk is very high helpful . Studies show that eating a lot of protein will help improve bone health .
Milk is not only rich in protein and calcium, it also contains a lot of phosphorus. High-fat dairy products from grass-fed cows also contain large amounts .
Protein, phosphorus and K2 are all important for bone health .
Conclude: Milk is not only rich in calcium, it also contains a large amount of protein, phosphorus and vitamin K2, all of which are important for bone health.
Studies show negative effects of dairy products
There are a number of observational studies that found that the consumption of many dairy products is related to negligible effects on bone health .
These studies are often referred to by vegetarians and those who oppose dairy products for some reason, but they have ignored all studies that prove of this food .
The truth is that observational studies often give a mixed result and cannot prove anything.
However, there are many observational studies that show beneficial effects more is not giving any conclusions.
Fortunately, there are many scientific experiments really (randomized controlled trial) gives us a clear answer about the effect of dairy products on bone.
Conclude: There are several observational studies that show that milk has no effect on or harms bone health. However, the studies that draw conclusions about benefits even more.
Real scientific evidence proves that milk is effective
The only way to determine the cause and effect of nutrition is to proceed
This type of research is the "gold standard" of science.
In this type of research, participants are divided into different groups. One group received the intervention (in this case, drinking more milk) while the other group did nothing and continued to eat as usual.
Many such studies have examined the effects of milk and calcium on bone health. Most of them have made the same conclusions Dairy products are effective.
- Children: As a child, milk and calcium help bones grow .
- Adults: In adulthood, drinking more milk reduces the rate of bone loss and increases bone density .
- Elderly: In the elderly, milk improves bone density and reduces the risk of fractures .
In many randomized controlled trials, milk has consistently been shown to improve bone health at all ages as mentioned above.
However, I object to taking calcium supplements. Some studies show that these products may increase the risk of heart attack .
It is best to add calcium from milk or other calcium-containing foods, such as green leafy vegetables and fish.
Conclude: Many randomized controlled trials show that dairy products improve bone health at all ages.
Milk is not "necessary" for bone health, but it is beneficial
If you have followed my blog for a while, you will know that I am not a fan of common nutrition concepts.
The information considered orthodox has many times made people misunderstand the serious problem. For example, when they misunderstand saturated fat and egg , as well as advise us to eat a lot vegetable oil .
However, this information seems to correctly identify the positive effect of dairy products on bone health, at least in Western diets.
Have A lot of scientific research has proven this .
However, although it works well, I do not think dairy products are "necessary" because it is not meant to be evolutionary. We can still maintain optimal bone health without dairy products.
To have a healthy bone system is very complicated and in which there are many factors related to lifestyle.
Including exercise, getting enough protein, vitamin D and magnesium, as well as eating in addition to dairy products.
