Milk is a highly nutritious drink providing nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, protein and potassium. Low fat or fat free milk is considered to be extremely good for health with the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommending consumption of at least three glasses of such milk every day.
For their study, the researchers looked at more than 5,000 adults between the ages of 45 and 84 years. They measured the kidney function of all study participants, tracked eating patterns and tested their albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR). The last is a measure which can indicate poor kidney function and extremely high risk of cardiovascular disease if it is too low.
The researchers found low ACR and healthier kidney function among people who were consuming more low fat milk and milk products. Compared to adults who drank little or no low fat milk, they found that adults who drank at least one serving of low fat milk or milk products every day were found to have 37% lower risk of suffering from poor kidney function linked to heart disease.
The researchers also found low fat milk and milk products to be the only food group that had the ability to reduce the risk for kidney dysfunction all on its own. Other studies have already linked milk protein, vitamin D, magnesium and calcium with the heart healthy benefits of milk. An overall healthy diet consisting of low fat milk and milk products, whole grains, fruits and vegetables was also found by the researchers to be associated with a 20% lower risk of ACR or healthier kidney function.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, about 26 million Americans suffer from kidney disease, which is both a cause and a consequence of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease in itself is the biggest killer of Americans, with one in three adults currently estimated to have some or the other form of cardiovascular disease.
