Title : Cardiometabolic effects of daily bovine, caprine, and ovine milk intake in older women: Findings from a 12-week randomised controlled trial
Abstract:
Background: Milk is rich in essential nutrients that support healthy ageing but concerns about the perceived gastrointestinal and cardiometabolic impacts of milk can deter consumption. Compositional differences between ruminant milks could lead to different cardiometabolic effects but this has not been investigated among older adults.
Aim: One of the key objectives of the YUMMI study was to investigate the cardiometabolic impacts of sustained ruminant milk consumption in older women.
Methods: In a single-blinded, parallel, randomised trial, 165 healthy older women (mean (SD): 68.1 (5.4) y) were randomised to consume 500 mL of bovine, ovine, or caprine milk daily, or no study milk for 12 weeks. At baseline and 12 weeks, fasted blood samples were collected for blood lipid (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, triacyglyceride, calculated low-density lipoprotein), HbA1c, and inflammatory markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, α1-acid glycoprotein) assessment, blood pressure and anthropometry measurements (height, weight, waist circumference) were taken, and body composition (fat mass, lean body mass, percent body fat) was assessed through DEXA scan.
Results: After 12 weeks, there were no significant differences in changes in blood lipids, HbA1c, inflammatory markers, blood pressure, or body composition observed between groups except for body weight and body mass index (BMI). The ovine group had significantly greater weight gain and BMI increase (weight: 1.36 vs 0.31–0.68 kg, p=0.007, BMI: 0.5 vs -0.02-0.21 kg/m², p=0.016) compared to the other milk and control groups. This outcome is consistent with the higher energy density of the ovine milk relative to the bovine and caprine milks. However, the weight gain observed was not accompanied by any changes in body composition measures. Moreover, this weight gain was less than expected, which suggests some dietary compensation for the added study milk.
Conclusion: Apart from greater weight gain in the ovine group, our study shows that sustained bovine, ovine and caprine milk consumption has comparable effects on cardiometabolic risk factors in older women, with no evidence of adverse effects.
