Nutr Rev. 2025 Jun 5:nuaf068. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaf068. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: It has been proposed that supplementation with milk protein (MP) may ameliorate lipid profiles, lower blood pressure (BP), reduce oxidative stress (OS), and regulate liver enzyme levels to prevent cardiovascular disease.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigated the impacts of casein protein, whey protein, and MP supplementation on lipid profiles, BP, OS, and liver enzymes in adults.
DATA SOURCES: A systematic search strategy was developed to determine relevant RCTs published up to September 2024 among several databases (Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus).
DATA EXTRACTION: The extracted data comprised a range of trial characteristics, including the study design, sample size, demographic data of participants, trial duration, pre- and post-assessments of the outcomes, and the dosage of MP supplements.
DATA ANALYSIS: A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to determine the effects of MP supplementation on the measured outcomes. Heterogeneity across the trials was evaluated using the I2 statistic and Cochran’s Q tests. The pooled analysis of 65 RCTs revealed that MP supplementation significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol (TC) (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -4.03 mg/dL; 95% CI: -7.91, -0.16; P = .042), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (WMD: -1.99 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.16, -0.82; P < .001), and triglycerides (TG) (WMD: -6.11 mg/dL; 95% CI: -9.78, -2.44; P = .001) in the MP group compared with the untreated group. However, there were no statistically substantial impacts on diastolic blood pressure, serum levels of glutathione, nitric oxide, apolipoprotein (Apo) A, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, Apo B, alanine transaminase, malondialdehyde, aspartate transaminase, and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol.
CONCLUSION: Supplementation with MP may have hypotensive and hypolipidemic effects, as indicated by reductions in SBP, TG, and TC.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42024621220.
PMID:40471664 | DOI:10.1093/nutrit/nuaf068
