Your digestive tract is made up of several tissues that work together to allow for food intake, digest the foods you eat, as well as eliminate the waste products that remain after digestion. Proper digestion relies on a number of factors, including the production of enzymes to break down food, constant cell growth for tissue repair, and maintaining a proper balance of digestive hormones. Drinking milk provides your body with nutrients needed to maintain a healthy digestive tract, and can therefore help proper digestion in many individuals.
Effect of Vitamin A
The vitamin A in milk can aid in digestion, supporting the function of the digestive system. After consuming milk, your body absorbs the milks' vitamin A and produces a range of chemicals, called retinoids. One type of retinoid, called retinoic acid, helps control inflammation within your digestive tract, according to a study published in "Nature" in 2011. The ability to control digestive tract inflammation proves important to digestive health, since excess inflammation is linked to digestive disorders, including Crohn's and celiac disease. Retinoid acid can help prevent excess inflammation in some cases, supporting digestive health.
Effect of Vitamin D
Milk might also promote digestive health due to its vitamin D content. Several cells in your digestive tract, such as cells that line your stomach and intestines, respond to the levels of vitamin D in your bloodstream. The presence of vitamin D aids in the absorption of nutrients and breakdown of foods, maintaining the hormone balance in your digestive system, and promoting the growth of new cells in your digestive tract. In addition, vitamin D contributes to strong tooth tissue, keeping your teeth strong and able to mechanically digest, or chew, the foods you eat.
Effect of B Vitamins
Consuming milk also aids in digestion due to its B-vitamin content. During digestion, your body breaks down fats, carbohydrates and proteins in your foods, so it can utilize these nutrients as sources of energy. Collectively, the eight B-vitamins help break down these nutrients, contributing to digestion. Milk contains several B-family vitamins, including vitamins B-1, riboflavin, niacin, B-5, B-6 and B-9. It also provides a very rich source of vitamin B-12, with each 8-ounce glass of milk containing more than half your daily recommended intake, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Exceptions
While milk contains essential vitamins that promote the health of your digestive tract, as well as nutrient breakdown and digestion, milk might also cause digestive upset in people with lactose intolerance. Up to 50 million Americans have lactose intolerance and prove unable to digest lactose, the natural milk found in milk, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. If you cannot digest lactose, consuming milk might cause flatulence, diarrhea and abdominal pain. If you often experience digestive upset after consuming milk, you might suffer from lactose intolerance. Consuming over-the-counter lactase supplements, might allow you to enjoy the benefits of milk, even if you suffer from lactose intolerance.
References
- Nature; Co-Adjuvant Effects Of Retinoic Acid And IL-15 Induce Inflammatory Immunity To Dietary Antigens; R.W. DePaolo et al.
- European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics; Vitamin D and the Digestive System; W.E. Stumpf
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Milk, Reduced Fat, Fluid, 2% Milkfat, with Added Vitamin A and Vitamin D
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Problems Digesting Dairy Products?
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin B-12
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