Micronutrients & recovery
Higher daily intake of skim milk and dairy products is associated with a significantly reduced risk of stress fractures in young female cross-country runners.
If you are a female runner prone to stress fractures, increasing your daily skim milk consumption by one cup is a simple, evidence-backed step to potentially cut your fracture risk by over 60%. Aim for a diet high in dairy and low in fat to maximize bone gains and fracture protection.
Each additional cup of skim milk consumed per day was associated with a 62% reduction in stress fracture incidence (P < .05); and a dietary pattern of high dairy and low fat intake was associated with a 68% reduction (P < .05).
Why this rating
Prospective cohort study with rigorous outcome confirmation (radiograph/bone scan/MRI) and adjustment for confounders, though observational design limits causal inference.
Source
Nutritional Factors That Influence Change in Bone Density and Stress Fracture Risk Among Young Female Cross‐Country Runners
Jeri W. Nieves et al. · PM&R · 2010
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