An ancient myth dating back to the 12th century linking dairy foods with mucus-coated throats, clogged noses, annoying coughs and asthma is not supported by scientific evidence, according to a comprehensive review in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition1.

After analysing the available scientific research on the topic, the authors concluded that milk intake was not associated with nose symptoms, cough or congestion. In one study2, people drank either flavoured milk or a milk-free drink disguised to look and taste like flavoured milk. Interestingly, people who believed the milk-mucus myth tended to report more symptoms than non-believers. However, there was no difference in symptoms reported after the milk and the non-milk drinks - showing milk was not the cause. The review also concluded that milk does not seem to exacerbate the symptoms of asthma.

Commenting on the review, National Asthma Council chief executive officer Kristine Whorlow agreed: "It is very rare for dairy foods to trigger asthma symptoms."

Dairy Australia dietitian Maree Garside said: "Recent studies suggest that regular consumption of dairy foods may actually help protect children against asthma. A study in nearly 3000 pre-school aged children found those who consumed regular-fat dairy foods every day had a significantly lower rate of asthma symptoms3.

"This supports the findings from earlier research, that children who consumed more than three serves of milk every day were two-and-a-half times less likely to develop asthma than children with the lowest intake of milk4."

Ms Garside said: "Parents who remove dairy foods from their child's diet, due to fears that dairy will trigger asthma or produce mucus, may inadvertently deprive their children of important nutrients such as protein, calcium, riboflavin and niacin."

Ms Whorlow said although the cause of asthma was not yet fully understood, the major triggers for asthma symptoms are house dust mites, pollens, mould spores, animal hair or fur, tobacco smoke, viral infections and the common cold.

For more information and interviews contact:

Maree Garside, ph (03) 9694 3837, mob 0407 322 995 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Over 2.2 million Australians have asthma. The prevalence in Australia is relatively high by international standards. Asthma affects one in four children, one in seven adolescents and one in ten adults5.
  
• In a survey of 135 adults with asthma, more than one in three mistakenly blamed the consumption of dairy foods for asthma symptoms6. Another study found a similar number of Australians believed the milk-mucus myth7.

1 Wuthrich B et al. (2005) Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma. J Am Coll Nutr 24, 547S-55S.

2 Pinnock CB and Arney WK (1993) The milk mucus belief: sensory analysis comparing cows' milk and a soy placebo. Appetite 20, 61-70.

3 Wijga AH et al. (2003) Association of consumption of products containing milk fat reduced asthma risk in pre-school children: the PIAMA birth cohort study. Thorax 58, 567-72.

4 Hijazi N et al. (2000) Diet and childhood asthma in a society in transition: a study in urban and rural Saudi Arabia. Thorax 55, 775-9.

5 National Asthma Council website: www.nationalasthma.org.au

6 Woods R et al. (1996) Patients' perceptions of food-induced asthma. Austr New Zeal Med J 103, 239-40.

7 Pinnock CB et al. (1990) Relationship between milk intake and mucus production in adult volunteers challenged with rhinovirus-2. Am Rev Resp Dis 141, 352-6.