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Long-term effect of calcium-vitamin D3 fortified milk on blood pressure and serum lipid concentrations in healthy older men

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 63, pages 993–1000 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Some epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that increased dairy consumption or calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation can have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effects of calcium-vitamin D3 fortified milk on blood pressure and lipid-lipoprotein concentrations in community-dwelling older men.

Subjects/Methods:

This is a substudy of a 2-year randomized controlled trial in which 167 men aged >50 years were assigned to receive either 400 ml per day of reduced fat (∼1%) milk fortified with approximately 1000 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D3 or to a control group receiving no additional fortified milk. Weight, blood pressure, lipid and lipoprotein concentrations were measured every 6 months. Participants on lipid-lowering (n=32) or antihypertensive medication (n=39) were included, but those who commenced, increased or decreased their medication throughout the intervention were excluded (n=27).

Results:

In the 140 men included in this study (milk, n=73; control, n=67), there were no significant effects of the calcium-vitamin D3 fortified milk on weight, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations at any time throughout the intervention. Similar results were observed after excluding men taking antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medication or limiting the analysis to those with baseline calcium intakes <1000 mg per day and/or with hypovitaminosis D (25(OH)D <75 nmol/l).

Conclusions:

Supplementation with reduced-fat calcium-vitamin D3 fortified milk did not have a beneficial (nor detrimental) effect on blood pressure, lipid or lipoprotein concentrations in healthy community-dwelling older men.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Ltd for providing the calcium-vitamin D3 fortified milk used in the study. We also thank Jeni Black, Joanne Daly and Sam Korn for their assistance with the clinical testing, and Sandra Godfrey and Nicole Fitzpatrick for performing the hormonal and biochemical analyses. Most importantly, we are indebted to the volunteers whose cooperation and dedication made this study possible.

This study was financially supported by a grant from the Geoffrey Gardiner Dairy Foundation. Associate professor Robin Daly was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Award (ID 425849).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine (RMH/WH), Western Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    R M Daly

  2. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    C A Nowson

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Correspondence to R M Daly.

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Daly, R., Nowson, C. Long-term effect of calcium-vitamin D3 fortified milk on blood pressure and serum lipid concentrations in healthy older men. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 993–1000 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2008.79

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