Drinking Milk While on Diet Boosts Weight Loss, Study Finds

That milky mustache may do the body good in more ways than the dairy industry suggests. Drinking milk could actually help you lose weight, new research finds.

In the two-year weight loss study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adults who drank the most milk -- at least two glasses a day -- lost an average of 12 pounds more than those who drank little to no milk.

Each additional 6-ounce serving of milk or milk products, equivalent to about three-quarters of a glass, translated into 10 pounds of weight loss after six months, the Israeli researchers said.

Drinking milk may help stop dieters from feeling hungry, which could explain the findings.

"It may fill people up so they feel satisfied and won't pig out on more sugary foods," northern California nutritionist Dr. Douglas Husbands told AOL Health.

In addition, those who reach for a glass of milk may be doing it instead of grabbing an over-sweetened soft drink or sugary juice.

"Drinking milk could also be helpful for weight loss because people may offset sodas and other things known to be bad," Husbands said. "Having a glass of milk is certainly better than having a soda."

The researchers found that the dieters' vitamin D levels had a positive impact on their weight loss, and those who drank the most milk had the highest levels of D in their systems.

The study followed more than 300 overweight or at-risk women and men ages 40 to 65. Participants followed diets that were low-fat, low-carb or Mediterranean for two years.

No matter what they were eating, the dieters with the highest dairy calcium intake after six months -- an average of 580 milligrams a day or two glasses of milk -- lost about 12 pounds at the end of the two years, the findings showed. Those with the lowest daily calcium intake, about 150 milligrams or half a glass a day, lost about seven pounds over the course of the study.

Husbands said the proteins in milk can boost energy levels, which is useful for someone trying to shed pounds.

"The proteins in milk are beneficial," he said. "Proteins generally tend to be utilized effectively for energy production and repair, and that can be helpful."

But there are downsides to downing so much milk.

"There's the lactose in milk that many people do have a problem with, particularly Asians and African Americans," Husbands said. "And obviously the fat in the milk could be a concern and how the cows are raised could make a difference in the nutrient content."

The researchers said that despite the drink's health benefits, most Americans still aren't getting the recommended daily dose of vitamin D -- 400 international units -- which is the amount in four glasses of low-fat or skim milk.

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