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# Milk boosts prostate cancer risk and death risk from the disease
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/milk_prostate_cancer_0105130311/
- Published: 2013-01-05T16:09:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:46:46.000Z
- Description: Harvard researchers tracked 21,660 physicians for 28 years and found men drinking 8 ounces of whole milk a day had 49% more fatal prostate cancer, while patients who drank whole milk faced a 117% higher risk of progressing to fatal disease.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Saturday Jan 5, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study published in the Jan 2013 issue of the Journal of Nutrition suggests that drinking milk increases risk of prostate cancer and the risk of death from the disease.

Jing Ma from Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA and colleagues found men who drank whole milk were up to 48 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer and patients with the disease were twice as likely to die from the disease.

High milk intake has been associated with greater risk of prostate cancer in previous studies. The current study was intended to reveal how different types of milk would affect the risk of developing fatal prostate cancer.

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from a cohort study in the physicians' Health Study of 21,660 physicians in which 2806 prostate cancer patients and 305 deaths were identified during a 28-year follow-up. Milk intake at baseline was considered.

It was found that the intake of total dairy products was associated with 12% increased prostate cancer incidence among those drinking greater than 2.5 servings per day, compared with those drinking 0.5 servings or less per day.

Skim/low-fat milk consumption was found positively correlated with risk of developing low-grade, early stage, and screen-detected cancers. Higher intake of skim/low-fat milk was linked with higher risk of nonaggressive prostate cancer. 

Fatal prostate cancer or advanced prostate cancer that is more likely to kill the patient was found 49 percent increased among those drinking 237 ml (8 ounces) of whole milk per day or more, compared with those rarely drinking whole milk.

Additionally, drinking milk affects the odds of survival. Whole milk consumption by prostate cancer patients was associated with 117% increased risk of progression to fatal disease post-diagnosis.

Whole milk was consistently linked with higher incidence of fatal prostate cancer in the entire study cohort and increased prostate cancer-specific mortality among patients.

The researchers concluded "These findings add further evidence to suggest the potential role of dairy products in the development and prognosis of PCa (prostate cancer)."

It is possible that estrogen and milk protein found in milk promote the development of prostate cancer and the disease progression.

Prostate cancer is expected to be diagnosed in more than 230,000 men every year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.

In many cases, prostate cancer is preventable. One easy solution is, cut the intake of meat and milk and use a plant-based diet.