Can milk and dairy products cause cancer?

This information is about dairy and cancer risk. We have specific information about diet for people affected by cancer.
 

What are dairy products?

Dairy products are made from cows' milk, or the milk from other animals like goats or sheep. These include things like milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter and creams. 

Dairy products are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals that are important for your health. This includes calcium which is important for strong bones.

Dairy alternatives can include products made with soy, oat, almond, and coconut milk. These products also contain protein and important vitamins and minerals.

Dairy or dairy alternatives can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. You can read more about the recommended dairy portions further down on this page.
 

Does dairy reduce bowel cancer risk?

Yes, eating and drinking dairy products can lower your risk of bowel cancer. There is good evidence from many large studies that dairy products lower bowel cancer risk.

The high amount of calcium in dairy could be one way it lowers the risk of bowel cancer. Research is continuing to look at this.
 

How much dairy should I have?

The Eatwell Guide is produced by the government. It recommends having some dairy or dairy alternatives as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Some dairy foods can be high in fat and sugar. Choosing lower fat and lower sugar options can help you keep a healthy weight. A healthy weight reduces the risk of 13 types of cancer.

You can use nutrition labels to check the amount of fat, salt and sugar in dairy products.

Some lower fat or lower sugar examples include:

• Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
• Reduced-fat cheese
• Lower fat spreads
• Plain, low-fat yoghurt
   

What about dairy alternatives?

Not everyone can eat dairy, and some people choose not to. Dairy alternatives are also good sources of protein and calcium. For example, calcium-fortified dairy-free versions of milk, cheese and yoghurt. 

These products can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. Try to choose unsweetened products, and products with added calcium and B12.

We need more research to know whether or not dairy alternatives reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
 

Does milk and dairy cause cancer?

There is good evidence that dairy reduces the risk of bowel cancer. But some people are worried that dairy increases the risk of some other types of cancer.

But there is no strong evidence that dairy increases cancer risk. In the largest, best quality studies there is no consistent link between dairy and increased cancer risk.

Most research has looked at whether or not dairy increases the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Dairy and prostate cancer risk

Research has not proven that milk or dairy increases the risk of prostate cancer.

Some studies suggest that eating lots of dairy could increase the risk of prostate cancer. However, we cannot rely on the results from these studies. This is because many factors could have influenced the results, not just dairy intake.  

We need more high-quality research that looks at dairy and prostate cancer risk.
 

Dairy and breast cancer risk

There is no reliable evidence that milk or dairy increases the risk of breast cancer. Whereas some studies have found that dairy may lower the risk of breast cancer in some people.

Because the research is mixed we need more high-quality research to be able to say for sure how dairy impacts breast cancer risk.
 

Why are some people worried about dairy and cancer?

Some people are worried about casein and hormones in dairy products. But there is no reliable evidence that casein or hormones in dairy causes cancer in people. 

Casein is a protein in dairy that gives milk its white colour. Hormones like IGF-1 and oestrogen are also found in dairy. But these hormones are in very low levels compared to what the human body makes naturally.

In the UK, hormones are not added to dairy products or given to animals to increase milk production. The use of growth hormones in cows, such as bovine somatotropin (BST), is banned in the UK and EU. The Food Standards Agency ensures dairy products in the UK are safe to eat and drink.