Milk is a Brain Booster Says a New Study

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Milk is good not only for the bones and muscles but also for the brain, says a recent study in the University of Kansas Medical Center published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The researchers report that milk consumption has an important role to play in the naturally-occurring antioxidant glutathione levels in the brain, as shown in the study conducted among older adults.

The researchers studied the food habits of 60 older adults and also took brain scans of all the participants for the research. The brain scans were primarily used to monitor the levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant present in the brain, reported Psych Central.

"We have long thought of milk as being very important for your bones and very important for your muscles, this study suggests that it could be important for your brain as well," said Dr. Debra Sullivan, professor and chair of dietetics and nutrition at KU Medical Center.

It was observed in the study that the participants who reported to have taken milk regularly had high levels of glutathione in their brains than those who did not consume milk for a while. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that prevent oxidative stress and damage caused by reactive chemical compounds produced by the abnormal functioning of the brain.

It is noted that oxidative stress is associated with brain diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, said Dr.Young Choi, an associate professor of neurology at KU Medical Center. He also added that, "Antioxidants are a built-in defense system for our body to fight against this damage, and the levels of antioxidants in our brain can be regulated by various factors such as diseases and lifestyle choices," according to NDTV FOOD"

"You can basically think of this damage like the build-up of rust on your car," Sullivan said. "If left alone for a long time, the build-up increases and it can cause damaging effects", said Sullivan, reported Psych Central.

The researcher also added that only few older adults in America follow the recommended three servings of dairy every day. The levels of glutathione in the brain of older adults were as high as the amount of dairy products consumed by them.

"If we can find a way to fight this by instituting lifestyle changes including diet and exercise, it could have major implications for brain health," said Choi. He also mentioned that their next stage of investigation would be focused on the precise effect of milk consumption on the brain.