Full-fat dairy products have no effect on subclinical vascular function in hypertensive adults

Adding whole milk or full-fat dairy products to the normal routine diet neither improves nor exacerbates subclinical vascular functions in adults with elevated blood pressure (BP), a study has shown.

Sixty adults (mean age, 58±2 years) with elevated BP (120–159/<99 mm Hg) were randomly assigned to a controlled crossover intervention trial consisting of two 4-week dietary periods. In the high-dairy condition, four daily servings of whole milk or full-fat dairy products were added to the normal diet and all dairy intake were eliminated during the control (no dairy) condition. The dietary conditions were separated by a 2-week washout period.

No significant difference was observed in the carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (cfPWV) between high-dairy (11.3±0.3 vs 10.9±0.3 m/sec) and no dairy conditions (11.2±0.3 vs 11.0±0.3 m/sec). These findings persisted even after evaluating ultrasound-derived vascular distension measures (ie, arterial compliance, beta-stiffness index and elastic modulus).

Likewise, there was no significant difference seen in cardiovagal baroreceptor sensitivity (via Valsalva manoeuvre) for either dietary condition. Brachial arterial flow-mediated dilation also did not differ significantly during the high-dairy (5.7±0.5 percent vs 5.4±0.6 percent) and no dairy conditions (6.5±0.5 percent vs 5.6±0.6 percent).

An earlier study involving young nonhypertensive individuals showed an association between dietary supplementation with whole-fat dairy products and weight gain, but no differential effects were seen for levels of BP. [J Hum Nutr Diet 2009;22:336-342]

“High consumption of low- and nonfat dairy products improves vascular dysfunction associated with elevated arterial BP,” the authors noted.