Can drinking dairy-free milk can raise depression risk? Doctor weighs in

While there are health benefits associated with consuming a plant-based diet, a recent study asserts that drinking milk that’s dairy-free can be risky to mental health. Does this mean that vegans are at greater risk of developing depression because of the milk alternatives they choose? The study would indicate yes — yet a medical doctor who specializes in plant-based nutrition believes the research has some omissions.The UK Biobank study was published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.It examined the incidence of both anxiety and depression in a pool of 350,000 participants who consumed different types of milk, both dairy and non-dairy milk. The study results – which had about a 13-year follow-up window with participants – revealed that 13,065 people were diagnosed with depression and 13,339 were diagnosed with anxiety.Dr.

Roxanne Becker, a Washington, D.C.-based medical editor and educator at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, told Fox News Digital that the study showed a 16% lower risk of depression for those who consumed full cream milk, a 12% lower risk of depression for semi-skimmed milk drinkers — and a 14% increased risk of depression among those who drank other types of milk.“However, there were some issues in the way that they analyzed the data,” said Becker.(She was not affiliated with the study.)“And if you dig into it, you’ll find that the increased risk [presented] by the plant-based milks was not really a true representation.”When the study accounted for total calorie intake, these risks completely disappeared, Becker pointed out, adding that the authors themselves noted this could have played a role.Also, nearly all those consuming “other milks” had a body mass index of less than 25, but the study didn’t distinguish between underweight and normal weight, Becker said.The study subjects could have included people with eating disorders who were using plant-based milks as a means of calorie control, a...