Get Milk

American Fitness, March, 2000 by Nancy Clark

What are athletes giving up by not drinking milk?

I hear the excuses every day:

"I don't drink milk because:

* I don't like the taste, so I take a calcium pill instead."

* I'm watching my weight and I don't want the calories."

* I've heard milk is mucus-forming and hard to digest."

* I seem to be a little lactose intolerant."

* I like soda better."

Reasons abound as to why athletes don't drink milk. Some reasons are valid, some are questionable and some are just irresponsible. The bottom line is, about 50 percent to 60 percent of the American population's daily calcium intake comes from milk. Milk drinkers tend to have a higher quality of diet than non-milk drinkers. People who drink milk also tend to have stronger bones. Therefore, if you are among the many athletes who think milk is for kids, you may be missing out on this very important mineral. Perhaps this article will help you choose to increase your calcium intake through milk for the long run.

Calcium for All

Calcium needs to be a part of everyone's health program: kids, growing teens, adults, parents-as-role-models and seniors. Both adult women and men need a calcium-rich diet to help maintain strong bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Men used to die younger than age 70--before osteoporosis becomes a problem. If you plan to live beyond 70, calcium-rich foods such as milk can help protect your youthfulness.

Osteoporosis will eventually affect 40 percent of women and 20 percent of men. Efforts to prevent osteoporosis focus on ways to optimize bone density. This means:

* maintaining strong muscles via weight bearing exercises, including weightlifting

* maintaining a strong calcium intake

* maintaining adequate estrogen status (for women).

Low estrogen can lead to stress fractures (an early sign of weakening bones) in amenorrheic athletes and future osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. Be sure to consult with your physician for personalized advice.

Dosage

How much calcium do you need? The reference dietary intake for calcium is 1,300 milligrams per day for children (ages nine to 18), 1,000 milligrams for adults (ages 19 to 50) and 1,200 milligrams for adults (ages 50 and older). Since eight ounces of milk (skim, low fat or whole) offers about 300 milligrams of calcium, three to four glasses of milk per day does the job of supplying adequate calcium (if milk is your main source of calcium). Because whole milk offers a significant amount of saturated fat (cloggage that contributes to heart disease), low fat and nonfat (skim) options are nutritionally preferable.

Many active people believe they have done their duty by having milk once per day--usually on their cereal. A few athletes target two milk servings per day, or perhaps one milk and one yogurt serving. However, it's the rare athlete who actively chooses to chug milk instead of soda. For example, among 32,000 male and female Air Force recruits surveyed, 52 percent consumed less than one serving of milk per day, and only 18 percent reported having three servings or more per day (Journal of American Diet Association, July, 1999).

Granted, milk is just one source of calcium. Low fat yogurt (400 mg/8 oz) and low fat cheese (150 mg/oz) are viable dairy alternatives. Full-fat cheeses can also boost your calcium intake, but they contain saturated fat. Therefore, be sure to carefully balance cheddar with crackers, Swiss on a sandwich and cream cheese on a bagel into an overall low fat diet. Research suggests people who drink low fat milk and limit fatty foods (such as cheese and greasy meats) are able to stay within the American Heart Association's recommended diet, with less than 30 percent of the calories coming from fat and less than 10 percent from saturated fat (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 67:616., 1998).

Calcium pills can also provide calcium, but a pill simply does not replace the vast array of nutrients found in whole foods. Food surveys suggest when people fail to get adequate calcium from dairy, they rarely compensate by getting adequate calcium from alternative foods such as dark green vegetables and almonds. Calcium-fortified foods--such as orange juice, some energy bars (read the label to determine if the product has added calcium) and soy products--can help fill that gap. Any calcium is better than none.

No More Excuses

* If you dislike the taste of milk, flavor it with chocolate (extra carbs to refuel your muscles), add more milk to your coffee, choose lattes made with low fat milk or eat flavored yogurt instead.

* If you are lactose intolerant, buy lactose-free milk, use Lactaid drops for meals containing milk, enjoy smaller servings of milk with meals or eat more yogurt or low fat cheese within tolerable limits.

* If you think milk is mucus-forming, research indicates it is not. If anything, the fat in whole milk might coat your throat, so drink low fat milk. However, if you are still not convinced, be sure to find other calcium sources.

* Milk is not "hard to digest." There is no reason to avoid milk before or after exercise. Milk fat does slow digestion, however, so choose low fat milk.