Drinking cow's milk could increase women's risk of deadly condition - even low fat is a danger, experts warn READ MORE: Less than half of patients can see their GP face to face By REBECCA WHITTAKER FOR MAILONLINE Published: 10:53, 8 November 2024 | Updated: 10:57, 8 November 2024 e-mail View comments Drinking large lattes made with cow's milk could raise a woman's risk of heart disease by up to 12 per cent, a study suggests. Scientists have found that women who drink at least 400ml of the drink daily over a life time are more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those who guzzle less. The findings held true regardless of the fat content of the milk women drank, with skimmed versions just as risky.
The researchers behind the study, from Uppsala University in Sweden , theorised that milk sugars, called lactose, may trigger inflammation in the body's cells over time, putting extra strain on the heart. They added that the increased risk might only affect women because they are known to digest lactose better than men. The study published in the journal BMC Medicine looked at two large population-based studies involving 101,000 people, including nearly 60,000 women and some 40,000 men.
Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their lifestyle and diet, and were followed up 33 years later. Specifically, those who consumed the equivalent to a large latte in milk everyday for the entirety of the study were at a five per cent higher risk of coronary heart dise.