Dairy consumption raises blood LDL cholesterol levels.

Is it true that dairy consumption raises blood LDL cholesterol levels?

Partly. One population cohort reports habitual dairy intake overall was not associated with LDL cholesterol, with milk inversely and ricotta cheese positively associated, while a quantitative review notes ruminant trans fat effects on LDL remain unclear and a trial shows saturated fat raises LDL without testing dairy itself. The retrieved items address dairy and LDL only partially and point in different directions.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 2 sources for, 2 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Brouwer, I. A., Wanders, A. J., & Katan, M. B. (2010). Effect of Animal and Industrial Trans Fatty Acids on HDL and LDL Cholesterol Levels in Humans – A Quantitative Review. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0009434

P, S., R, R., M, S., ZL, L., P, K., IG, D., RJ, W., M, M., & H, V. (2025). Dairy Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular and Bone Health Outcomes in Adults: An Umbrella Review and Updated Meta-Analyses.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172723

Effects of red meat, white meat, and nonmeat protein sources on atherogenic lipoprotein measures in the context of low compared with high saturated fat intake: a randomized controlled trial. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz035

Influence of Habitual Dairy Food Intake on LDL Cholesterol in a Population-Based Cohort - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020593