Milk After Exercise Could Shield Older Adults From Dangerous Fractures
Drinking milk after exercising could help protect older adults from life-threatening fractures, according to promising new research. As the global population ages, maintaining muscle mass and bone density has become a major health challenge, with more than three million people in the UK currently living with osteoporosis.
The Growing Threat of Bone Thinning
Far more individuals are expected to be at risk, with up to 40 percent of people over 50 thought to have osteopenia, the earliest stage of bone thinning. Engaging in regular exercise, particularly resistance training, has long been considered one of the most effective interventions against musculoskeletal disease. However, Chinese scientists now suggest that pairing a strength-based exercise routine with a post-workout glass of milk could provide enhanced protection against bone deterioration.
Protein has long been linked with bone health as it helps boost calcium absorption, which is crucial for bone strength and reducing the risk of fractures from falls later in life. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, compared the efficacy of cow's milk and soy milk as easily consumable protein sources.
Study Methodology and Participant Groups
A total of 82 healthy adults aged 60 and above, who were free from any medical conditions that would impact their protein intake, were included in the final research. All participants completed an eight-week exercise programme comprising three sessions of resistance and balance training per week.
Participants were then divided into one of four groups:
- Exercise only
- Exercise with nutrition education
- Exercise with nutrition education plus cow's milk supplementation
- Exercise with nutrition education plus soy milk supplementation
Groups one and two received no additional dietary intervention and ate as normal. Participants in the cow's milk group drank 240ml of low-fat milk 30 minutes to an hour after finishing their workout. Those drinking soy milk received slightly less to ensure both groups were getting approximately 7-8g of protein per session.
Nutritional Components and Education
These supplementation groups also ate 60g of steamed sweet potato after each training session to balance protein with carbohydrates. Nutritional education sessions were held weekly and focused on healthy eating patterns with adequate protein intake, oral health, and injury prevention.
After eight weeks, all groups showed significant improvements in walking speed, suggesting that regular exercise improves mobility and performance. Those who made no changes to their diet but exercised regularly experienced significant improvements in handgrip strength and moving from sitting to standing.
This indicates enhanced neuromuscular function and lower-limb strength, the researchers noted. However, the greatest improvements were observed in participants who drank a glass of cow's milk after exercising and attended weekly nutrition classes.
Superior Results With Milk Supplementation
These participants demonstrated significant improvements not only in hand-grip strength but also in how quickly they could stand up from a chair and sit back down five times consecutively, along with walking speed over a six-meter distance. The researchers stated: 'This indicates that combining exercise with milk supplementation may be more beneficial for muscle function than soy milk supplementation.'
Notably, handgrip strength—which has been associated with a range of health outcomes from type 2 diabetes to depression—in group two, who attended nutrition classes but didn't change their diet, was significantly lower. This suggests that knowledge-based interventions alone are insufficient without accompanying dietary changes.
Research Conclusions and Limitations
The researchers concluded: 'This study suggests that combining resistance exercises with immediate post-exercise supplementation of protein-rich whole foods, particularly milk, may improve bone health and physical function in community-dwelling older adults.' However, they acknowledged that despite its strengths, the study has several limitations including its relatively short duration.
Understanding Bone Health Conditions
Bone thinning is diagnosed with a Dexa scan, which measures how much bone mineral—mainly calcium—an individual has compared with a healthy person in their 20s. A score of zero is normal. Between -1 and -2.5 indicates osteopenia, while anything below -2.5 is classified as osteoporosis.
Over time, osteoporosis weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. It develops slowly over years and is often only diagnosed when a fall causes a fracture. Treatment typically involves taking medication to strengthen bones, but regular exercise, healthy eating, vitamin D supplementation, and lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption can all help support bone health.
