It’s utterly simple.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in the US, with heightened risk for low-income and marginalized groups. Outside of genetics, reducing these numbers comes down to improving blood pressure, increasing physical activity and making dietary changes.
And a single dietary change can make a surprisingly big difference, according to a new study.
While previous studies analyzing dairy and stroke prevention have produced murky — sometimes contradictory — results, new science points to milk as a possible tool to lower cardiovascular risk.
The new simulation study out of Japan found that just two servings of the stuff each day could lead to as much as a 7% reduction in stroke risk, potentially decreasing Japan’s national healthcare burden costs by between 5-8.5%.
The key is increasing milk intake immediately: Drinking more gradually over time also slightly reduced stroke risk, but by a smaller percentage.
Contrary to past studies that showed dairy products might actually increase risk of stroke, recent assessments suggest that more milk equals lower likelihood of stroke.
It’s not entirely clear why that is, biologically speaking. But it’s thought that the minerals found in milk — especially calcium, magnesium and potassium — offer strong cardiovascular protection.
While the US drinks more milk on average than Japan, we still don’t meet the recommended daily intake of three servings a day (equivalent to three cups), as outlined by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The authors of the Japanese study based their model off Japan’s recommended serving of 180 grams per day, or less than one cup.
They wanted to know how it might affect overall stroke incidents and healthcare costs if suddenly everyone began drinking the recommended amount of milk per day. (It’s worth noting that the study only referred to “dairy” without specifying the animal origin, and it doesn’t account for dairy fat percentage.)
Immediate increase in milk drinking resulted in a steeper drop in stroke risk, compared to a gradual increase in milk intake over a longer period of time.
Milk has also been tied to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity. But it’s not exactly a miracle drug.
Certain specialists advise against regular milk consumption.
Some dermatologists warn that dairy consumption contributes to hormonal acne, rosacea and eczema, though there is no consistent or well-established scientific link.
There’s also some evidence connecting excess milk sugars to slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer, and excess calcium to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Still, there’s good reason to talk to your doctor about possibly upping your daily dairy intake. That extra glass of milk in the morning might just be the stroke of luck you needed.
