New study finds milk drinkers may have a healthy weight advantage

Weber Shandwick Worldwide ^ | September 15, 2010 | Unknown

[decimon]

Research suggests boosting key milk nutrients calcium and vitamin D could aid weight loss

Now there's a new reason to grab a glass of milk when you're on diet, suggests a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In a 2-year weight loss study, milk drinkers had an advantage over those who skipped the milk. Israeli researchers found that adults who drank the most milk (nearly 2 glasses per day) and had the highest vitamin D levels at 6 months, lost more weight after 2 years than those who had little or no milk or milk products -- nearly 12 pounds weight loss, on average.

Researchers also found that each additional 6-ounce serving of milk or milk products (about 3/4 of a glass of milk) was associated with 10 pounds successful weight loss above the average, at 6 months.

More than 300 overweight or at risk men and women ages 40 – 65 participated in the study following low-fat, Mediterranean or low-carb diets for 2 years. Regardless of diet, researchers found participants with the highest dairy calcium intake 6 months into the study (averaging about 580mg per day – the amount in nearly 2 glasses of milk) lost about 12 pounds at the end of the 2 years, compared to about 7 pounds for those with the lowest dairy calcium intake (averaging about 150mg, or about half of a glass).

Beyond calcium, the researchers also found that vitamin D levels independently affected weight loss success and in line with previous research, milk and milk products were the top contributors to vitamin D in the diets of the study participants.

Despite the potential health benefits, many Americans are still not getting the recommended 400IU of vitamin D each day – the amount in four glasses of fat free or lowfat milk. This D-ficiency may put their health at risk, for healthy weight and beyond. Well known for its role in keeping bones strong, vitamin D is now being hailed for so much more. Emerging science suggests vitamin D may also help protect against diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and certain cancers. It also supports a healthy immune system.

Fat free milk is packed with nine essential nutrients Americans need, including calcium and vitamin D, and contains 80 calories per 8-ounce serving. Research suggests eating right, getting active and drinking the recommended three glasses of lowfat or fat free milk daily can help you maintain a healthy weight.

###

Shahar DR, Schwarzfuchs D, Fraser D, Vardi H, Thiery J, Fiedler GM, Blüher M, Stumvoll M, Stampfer MJ, Shai I. Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2010. Published ahead of print.

[colorado tanker]

LOL!

[gleeaikin]

Sounds like the early phase of the Atkins diet. I went on it for a year and lost 35 lbs. Then I had a whole lot of govt stress drop in my lap and started to eat my more usual diet, which still is quite healthy. Now I am up 25 lbs. and getting serious about loosing again. Wish I had time to go swimming which I did the first time.

Vitamin D is used in every cell of the body and is almost more like a hormone than a vitamin. The current recommendation is to consume from 1,000 to 2,000 International Units per day, especially in the winter, especially if you are prone to winter depression.

[gleeaikin]

Being against big pharma doesn’t make one a lefty. Years ago when I testified on the Hill at the Hosmer Hearings when Congress was trying to make vitamin supplements into over the counter drugs, the outpouring from liberals AND conservatives was overwhelming. At any rate all agreed the government had no right to force us to pay more for GRAS (generally recognized as safe) items by restricting their sale.

Big Pharma probably hates the supplements industry because people who study alternative treatments of conditions, and experiment on themselves are not giving them their hard earned money for unnecessary drugs. There are certainly times when Pharma drugs may be needed, but mostly they are not, and Obamacare will cost a lot less if people learn how to prevent their own illnesses rather than expecting doctors who get free drug samples, sales pitches and brain washing from Big Pharma to wave a magic wand for them.