Osteoarthritis of the knee is a degenerative disease that can cause pain and swelling in the knee joint, and until now there was no cure. But researchers say daily milk consumption is associated with reduced disease progression. The researchers say their findings, published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), show that regular consumption of skim or low-fat milk by women delayed the progression of osteoarthritis of the knee, but that women who consumed cheese actually experienced an increase in the disease. They also noted that the findings did not apply to men and that yogurt did not affect the progression of osteoarthritis. The CDC believes that osteoarthritis, characterized by degeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone in the joints, is due to “mechanical and primary effects on the joints. However, the true cause of this disease is not known. Treatment for this disease is aimed at reducing symptoms and improving function, including physical therapy, weight control, and medication. According to the CDC in 2005, there were an estimated 27 million adults over the age of 25 with osteoarthritis in the United States. Researchers found that the more milk a woman drank, the better her joint gap width. The authors of the study say it has been confirmed that milk intake plays a very important role in bone health, but until now, its role in the progression of knee osteoarthritis has been unknown. Similarly, Dr. BingLu, PhD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, was the lead researcher and his colleagues conducted one of the largest studies to date investigating the role of daily milk intake on osteoarthritis of the knee. 2148 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and 3604 knees were included in the study. At the beginning of the study, after collecting diet, investigators measured the joint space between the medial femur and tibia with X-rays to assess the progression of osteoarthritis. The first evidence showing that milk slows the progression of knee osteoarthritis. Subjects in this study included 888 male patients and 1260 female patients, and they were followed up at 12, 24, 36 and 48 months, and the team also said milk intake would be assessed according to the Simple Food Count Questionnaire. Knee Osteoarthritis Fact Sheet At age 85, 1 in 2 people may have knee osteoarthritis. 2/3 of obese people may develop knee osteoarthritis in their lifetime. In the United States, approximately 27 million adults have osteoarthritis of the knee. The researchers found that when women increased their milk intake (from none to less than 3 cups, 4 to 6 cups and more than 7 cups per week), the joint gap width decreased (0.38mm, 0.28mm and 0.26mm, respectively). The researchers said their findings, even after adjusting for body mass index, still showed that obesity is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis. In addition, they said milk intake was not associated with reduced joint space width in male patients. When they were asked about the “increased progression of osteoarthritis in female patients who consumed cheese” revealed by the study, Dr. Lu told Medical News Today that the high saturated fatty acids in cheese may be the culprit. “A recent study reported that increased intake of saturated fatty acids was associated with an increased incidence of bone marrow lesions,” he added, “which may predict the progression of osteoarthritis of the knee.” In a related commentary, Dr. Robert McLean, Shivani Sahni, PhD, from the Harvard-affiliated Hebrew Institute for Advanced Life Aging, writes, “As the population ages and life expectancy increases, we urgently need effective ways to deal with osteoarthritis.” The study, initiated by Dr. lu, provides first-hand evidence that increased intake of skim or low-fat milk may slow the disease in women suffering from the burden of functional disability caused by knee osteoarthritis,. In their study, the group noted that further research is needed to demonstrate how increased milk intake slows osteoarthritis of the knee.