Children Drinking Non-Cow's Milk are Twice as Likely to Have Low Vitamin D Levels

Should your child drink cow's milk, or a milk substitute for better health? In this case, you may want to go with cow's milk. Scientists have found that children who drank rice, almond, soy or goat's milk had lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than those who drank cow's milk.

Non-cow's milk is becoming increasingly popular in today's society. This is partially due to perceived health benefits, milk allergies or lactose intolerance. Yet it seems as if cow's milk isn't as unhealthy as some believe.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient produced either through sun exposure or found in fortified cow's milk, fish and other foods. It plays an important role in the development and strengthening of bones. In children, low levels of vitamin D can cause bone weakness and, in severe cases, rickets.

In order to see whether drinking cow's milk or non-cow's milk impact a child's health, the scientists examined 3,821 children between the ages of one to six. Researchers looked at the differences in blood levels of vitamin D associated with drinking cow's milk and non-cow's milk.

"Children drinking only non-cow's milk were more than twice as likely to be vitamin D deficient as children drinking only cow's milk," said Jonathan Maguire, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Among children who drank non-cow's milk, every additional cup of non-cow's milk was associated with a five percent drop in vitamin D levels per month."

The research highlights the importance of making sure children receive enough vitamin D, especially if they're drinking non-cow's milk. More specifically, the study is helpful to health care providers working with children who regularly consume non-cow's milk due to cow's milk allergy, lactose intolerance or dietary preference.

"It is difficult for consumers to tell how much vitamin D is in non-cow's milk," said Maguire. "Caregivers need to be aware of the amount of vitamin D, calcium and other nutrients in alternative milk beverages so they can make informed choices for their children."

The findings are published in the journal Canadian Medical Association Journal.