Post-Exercise Milk Intake Linked to Better Bone Density After 60: Study Finds

A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging examined whether combining protein supplementation, nutrition education (NE), and resistance exercise could improve muscle and bone health in older adults. The researchers also compared milk and soy milk as post-exercise protein sources.

As people age, loss of muscle mass and bone mineral density (BMD) increases the risk of sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and osteosarcopenia — conditions linked to falls, disability, and reduced quality of life. Nutrition and resistance exercise are considered key strategies to slow this decline, especially since many older adults struggle with appetite and chewing, making liquid protein sources like milk and soy milk practical options.

The study recruited 82 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above. All participants completed an 8-week resistance and balance training program (three sessions per week). They were divided into four groups: exercise only; exercise plus NE; exercise plus NE with milk supplementation; and exercise plus NE with soy milk supplementation. The milk and soy milk groups consumed their drinks shortly after exercise, along with sweet potato for balanced carbohydrate intake.

All groups showed improved walking speed, indicating better mobility. The milk supplementation group demonstrated broader benefits, including improved handgrip strength, chair stand performance, overall physical function, and increases in bone health markers such as T-scores and upper-limb BMD. Milk supplementation was associated with greater gains in handgrip strength compared to soy milk. However, no group showed significant increases in muscle mass, possibly due to the short intervention period.

While findings suggest that resistance exercise combined with milk-based protein and nutrition education may support musculoskeletal health, the modest sample size and study design limit firm conclusions. Larger randomized trials are needed to confirm these results.

REFERENCE: Liao, T. et al. (2026) Muscle performance and bone density following a multi-intervention program with milk or soy milk supplementation in older adults: Quasi-experimental study. The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. 30(3), 100784. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2026.100784. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12861217/