Milk Products And Fertility

Given our recent post on milk, there is no denying that it does the body good. However, several studies have recently claimed that there is a significant link between dairy consumption and various disorders of the female reproductive system.

The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study in 1994 entitled ‘Adult Hypolactasia, Milk Consumption, and Age-specific Fertility’ that supports existing evidence that galactose, a sugar found only in milk, can have significantly negative impacts on human ovarian function and fertility. The term hypolactasia is a condition characterized by adults who suddenly lose the ability to digest lactose properly.

Additional studies have suggested that this galactose found in cow’s milk may be responsible for killing off ovarian germs cells, a necessary component of the female reproductive system. The correlation of infertility and milk consumption peaks for women between 35-39 years of age. Scientists suggest that this peak occurs as a result of the cumulative long-term effects of milk consumption over time.