Effects of full-fat dairy products on subclinical vascular function in adults with elevated blood pressure: a randomized clinical trial

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 74; no. 1; pp. 9 - 16
• Main Authors: Roy, Stephen J., Fico, Brandon G., Baker, Brett D., Lapierre, Stephanie S., Shah, Jay A., Gourley, Drew D., Delfausse, Laura A., Tanaka, Hirofumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.01.2020; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/699/75/593; 692/700/2814; Adults; Animals; Blood Pressure; Clinical Nutrition; Clinical trials; Dairy Products; Diet; Distension; Epidemiology; Health aspects; Humans; Hypertension; Internal Medicine; Mechanical properties; Medical research; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Milk; Modulus of elasticity; Public Health; Pulse Wave Analysis; Sensitivity analysis; Stiffness; Ultrasound; Wave velocity
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/s41430-019-0435-8

Background High consumption of low- and non-fat dairy products improves vascular dysfunction associated with elevated arterial blood pressure (BP). Currently, it is unknown if conventional full-fat dairy products improve vascular functions. Objectives To determine if adding whole milk and full-fat dairy products to the normal routine diet improves vascular function in adults with elevated BP. Design Sixty adults (age ± SEM; 58 ± 2 years) with elevated BP (systolic/diastolic; 120–159/ < 99 mmHg) were randomized into a controlled crossover intervention trial consisting of two 4-week dietary periods. The high dairy condition consisted of adding four daily servings of whole milk or full-fat dairy products to the normal diet and eliminated all dairy intake during the control (no dairy) condition. A 2-week washout period separated the dietary conditions. Results Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) did not differ significantly between high dairy (11.3 ± 0.3 versus 10.9 ± 0.3 m/sec) and no dairy conditions (11.2 ± 0.3 versus 11.0 ± 0.3 m/sec). The results were consistent when ultrasound-derived vascular distension measures (arterial compliance, beta-stiffness index, and elastic modulus) were evaluated. Cardiovagal baroreceptor sensitivity (via Valsalva maneuver) demonstrated no significant difference for either dietary condition. Brachial arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) did not differ significantly during the high dairy (5.7 ± 0.5 versus 5.4 ± 0.6%) and no dairy conditions (6.5 ± 0.5 versus 5.6 ± 0.6%). Conclusions The solitary addition of whole milk and full-fat dairy products has no effect on subclinical vascular function in adults with elevated BP.