Drinking Two Cups of Milk a Day Lowers Blood Pressure

Dutch researchers have determined drinking two glasses of milk each day may lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.  The findings, presented at a European medical conference in France this week, are based on an analysis of nine studies involving more than 57,000 individuals — and 15,367 cases of hypertension.   Lead researcher Sabita S. Soedamah-Muthu, M.D., from Wageningen University in the Netherlands said the analysis found drinking about two cups of milk per day reduced the risk for high blood pressure and that more may be better.   "These meta-analyses indicate that there is a link between increasing the number of glasses of milk a day and a lower incidence of hypertension," explained Dr. Soedamah-Muthu.  The findings echo research by Daniel R. Machin, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May, that showed the addition of four servings of nonfat dairy per day to a routine diet lowered blood pressure in middle-aged and older adults.   Other studies presented at the conference also suggested that adding milk fat to infant formula can benefit brain development and increasing dairy in the diets of seniors can enhance elderly nutrition.   "The results of this diverse session lay the groundwork for future investigations into the overall impact dairy may have on public health," said Cindy Schweitzer, with the Global Dairy Platform. "It appears that dairy’s nutrient-rich package may have a positive impact on health, development and performance in more ways than previously expected."