Drinking milk increases risk of silent killer by a fifth and not even skimmed is safe

Drinking MILK increases the risk of a silent killer by a FIFTH – but only in half the population. Drinking milk increases the risk of a heart attack - with even skimmed milk a danger - it has been warned by health experts as we head deeper into autumn and winter.

Scientists reckon cow's milk's large amounts of lactose trigger harmful inflammation and cell damage, ageing the heart faster. Experts at Uppsala University in Sweden used data from 101,000 people for their study into milk.

Consuming 400ml of the white stuff each day, about two thirds of a pint, was linked to a five per cent higher risk of coronary heart disease. People's heart risk increased by 12 per cent for 600ml per day or 21 per cent for 800ml.

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Writing in the journal BMC Medicine, study author Professor Karl Michaëlsson said: “A healthy diet is essential for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Our analysis supports an association between milk intake higher than 300ml per day and higher rates of ischaemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction [heart attack] specifically, in women, but not in men.

“The higher risk in women was evident irrespective of the fat content of the milk. Replacing non-fermented milk with moderate fermented milk intake could lower the risks.” British Heart Foundation explained: "Coronary heart disease (CHD) is when your coronary arteries become narrowed by fatty material within their walls. These arteries supply your heart with blood containing high levels of oxygen.

"Over time, a fatty material called atheroma (sometimes known as plaque) can build up inside your coronary arteries. This process is called atherosclerosis. Eventually, your arteries may become so narrow that they cannot get enough blood to your heart."

It develops slowly over time and the symptoms can be different for everyone. Some people do not know they have CHD before they have a heart attack.