Is there evidence that eliminating all dairy products prevents diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, and prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer?

Evidence Does NOT Support Avoiding All Dairy Products

The claim that dairy products cause diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and multiple cancers is contradicted by the highest quality evidence, which shows dairy consumption is actually protective against several of these conditions or has no harmful association. 1

Diabetes (Type 2)

The evidence demonstrates the opposite of the claim:

• Meta-analyses show dairy consumption reduces type 2 diabetes risk by 5-12% 1
• Total dairy intake shows an inverse association with T2DM risk (RR: 0.93 per 400g/day) 1
• Low-fat dairy reduces risk by 10% per serving daily (RR: 0.91 per 200g/day) 1
• Yogurt consumption shows the strongest protective effect (RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.70-0.98) 1
• Even whole dairy products contribute to diabetes prevention, with most risk reduction occurring at intakes up to 200g/day 1

The evidence is graded as moderate to strong across multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses. 1

Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, and Heart Disease

The evidence contradicts the avoidance recommendation:

• Most prospective observational studies and meta-analyses show no association or inverse association between dairy intake and CVD, coronary artery disease, and stroke 1
• Milk intake is linked to decreased risk of stroke 1
• No increased risk of coronary artery disease or mortality from dairy consumption 1
• Dairy fat may not carry the same health risks as other animal fats 1
• Cheese intake is inversely associated with coronary heart disease (RR: 0.96 per 20g higher intake/day) 1
• Two reviews report inverse associations between dairy intake and hypertension or stroke 1

Common pitfall: Conflating dairy saturated fat with other sources of saturated fat. The food matrix and other dairy components (calcium, protein, bioactive peptides) modify the metabolic effects. 1

Dementia and Cognitive Disorders

Limited evidence exists, but what is available contradicts the claim:

• Milk intake has been linked to decreased risk of cognitive disorders 1

The evidence base for dementia is less robust than for other outcomes, but available data do not support avoidance. 1

Cancer Risk: Mixed Evidence Requiring Nuanced Interpretation

Colorectal Cancer - PROTECTIVE

• Cohort studies consistently show protective effects (OR: 0.62 for total dairy; OR: 0.80 for milk) 2
• Inverse association between dairy intake and colorectal cancer risk 1, 3
• Dairy protein and calcium show inverse associations with colorectal cancer (HR Q4 vs Q1: 0.80 and 0.71, respectively) 4

Breast Cancer - NO HARMFUL ASSOCIATION

• No evidence of association between dairy consumption and breast cancer 3
• No significant associations observed between dairy protein intake and breast cancer risk 4
• Possible decreased risk suggested in some analyses 5

Prostate Cancer - NUANCED RISK

This is the only cancer where caution is warranted:

• One meta-analysis found whole milk (1 serving/day) contributed to elevated prostate cancer mortality risk (RR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.13-1.81) 1, 6
• However, total dairy products showed no significant impact on all-cancer mortality risk 1
• No significant association between low-fat or whole milk intake and fatal prostate cancer in another meta-analysis 1
• Recent evidence shows milk protein and dietary calcium positively associated with prostate cancer risk (HR Q4 vs Q1: 1.12 and 1.16, respectively) 4
• Evidence remains inconsistent and heterogeneous (I² up to 77.1%) 7

Clinical recommendation: Men with prostate cancer or at high risk may benefit from choosing low-fat dairy options rather than complete avoidance. 6

Nutritional Consequences of Complete Dairy Avoidance

Eliminating all dairy removes important nutrients:

• High-quality protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, potassium, zinc, choline, magnesium, and selenium 1
• Dairy contributes to improved bone health, especially in children and adolescents 1
• Three servings daily (710 mL) meets nutritional recommendations 6

Critical caveat: Plant-based milk substitutes vary considerably in nutrient density. Only soy milk approximates cow milk's protein content and quality. 1, 6

Evidence Quality Assessment

The recommendation to avoid all dairy is based on:

• Cherry-picked data
• Misinterpretation of prostate cancer evidence (which shows risk primarily with whole milk, not all dairy)
• Ignoring the substantial protective evidence for diabetes, colorectal cancer, and cardiovascular outcomes

The highest quality evidence (systematic reviews and meta-analyses from 2017-2023) demonstrates that moderate dairy consumption (up to 3 servings daily) is associated with favorable health outcomes for most conditions mentioned. 1

Evidence-Based Recommendation

Rather than avoiding all dairy, consume 2-3 servings daily of low-fat or fat-free dairy products, which provides optimal nutrient intake while minimizing any potential prostate cancer risk. 1, 6 Men with prostate cancer or at elevated risk should preferentially choose low-fat options. 6 Complete dairy avoidance is not supported by the evidence and may result in nutrient deficiencies without corresponding health benefits. 1