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The systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted by researchers from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, has been published in the leading journal Advances in Nutrition.
Drawing together evidence from randomised controlled trials, the review found that dairy products and supplements containing milk lipid bioactives reduced fasting LDL cholesterol (often referred to as "bad" cholesterol) and apolipoprotein B levels – two markers closely linked to cardiovascular disease risk – compared with similar products low in these components.
These milk lipid bioactives are naturally occurring components of dairy fat that are particularly abundant in products such as cream and buttermilk. They can also be concentrated into specialised dairy ingredients for use in nutritional products.
The research also revealed important gaps in current knowledge. In particular, relatively little research has explored how these milk lipid bioactives influence blood lipid responses after meals, despite people spending much of the day in a post-meal (fed) state.
Dr Oonagh Markey, Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences, explained: “Our findings add to growing evidence that naturally occurring bioactive components in dairy foods may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. At the same time, the review highlights several areas where more research is needed. One of the most notable gaps is the limited research on milk lipid bioactives in postmenopausal women, which is why our ongoing research is so important.”
The findings come as doctoral researcher and first author Aishwarya (Aisha) Borkar recruits volunteers for a related study investigating whether milk lipid bioactives can influence cardiovascular health, cognitive function and mood in postmenopausal women.
Following menopause, declining oestrogen levels are associated with changes in blood lipid profiles, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and changes in cognitive function. However, the potential role of milk lipid bioactives in supporting health during this stage of life remains relatively unexplored.
Aisha said: “Our study aims to improve understanding of how milk lipid bioactives influence cardiovascular and cognitive responses following a meal in postmenopausal women. This could provide important new evidence about how these bioactive components affect cardiovascular and cognitive health after menopause.”
The team is currently recruiting healthy postmenopausal women aged 50–75 years to take part in the study at the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University. Participants will consume a high-fat meal enriched with naturally occurring milk lipid bioactives while researchers assess its effects on markers of cardiovascular health, cognitive performance and mood.
Anyone interested in taking part can contact Aisha Borkar at A.S.Borkar@lboro.ac.uk.