Too much of a good thing
Too much calcium can inhibit iron absorption, and can also cause kidney stones and constipation
Anice cold glass of milk is a daily staple for many Atlantic Canadian families, including Jodi Maceachern’s three teenage sons. “We go through at least four four-litre jugs a week,” the Bedford, Nova Scotia resident says.
Maceachern says milk is the main beverages of choice at their house.
“They drink milk with meals, and eat cereal as a snack all the time,” she said. “And, being teenagers, they’re always hungry.”
The importance of milk was instilled in Maceachern’s children at a very young age. “When they were little, I didn’t (buy juice or pop) because of the sugar content, and it just kind of stuck,” she said. They drink water when thirsty, but drink milk with meals.”
According to the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s website, milk is fortified with Vitamin D and is a natural source of 14 essential nutrients, including calcium, Vitamin B12 and protein.
But while the nutritional value of milk and dairy has been drilled into our consciousness for decades, it’s also true there is a point where it can be too much of a good thing, especially for younger children.
‘CRAZY’ ABOUT MILK
Lyndsey Pond of Dartmouth recalled always being “crazy” about milk, especially when she was pregnant. “I would drink gallons of milk a day,” she said.
So it was only natural her child would eventually drink cow’s milk — and at the time, this seemed necessary. “We switched when he was 10 months old, as he didn’t like the formula,” she said. “We thought, great, he’s drinking milk, that’s really awesome, we solved our problem.”
But unfortunately, it was to the detriment of the benefits of other foods. “As he gets older and eats more solids, there isn’t enough room for both (solids and milk,)” Pond said.
In the past few weeks, especially, Pond’s child has tended to throw up after drinking a bottle of milk before bedtime. “It would make him feel pretty bad; the changing and cleaning would disrupt his bedtime.”
Despite this, substituting milk for other liquids is a tricky proposition. “You couldn’t pass him a bottle of water at bedtime,” Pond said. “He doesn’t fall for it.”
She read various articles online which mention the risk to toddlers drinking too much dairy. While Pond didn’t say which articles she read, the Canadian Paediatric Society says high cow’s milk intake is one risk factor for iron deficiency among children two and younger.
“My parents were really surprised,” Pond said. “Back in the day, there was never a discussion about ‘too much milk’.”
Pond says while she’s concerned her son has the potential to have low iron, she’s finding new ways to ensure he gets the nutrients he needs. “We buy beef liver because it’s the highest iron-rich meat,” she said. “Put it in the air fryer with barbecue sauce, (and the child likes it).”
‘THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A BUG’
Charley Burke of Mount Stewart, P.E.I., had an even more negative experience with a child consuming a high amount of dairy. She recalled December 2022, when her sister, who was babysitting Charley’s then-21-month old son, sent him home because he was feeling quite sick.
“She had told me he hadn’t eaten at all,” she said. “His skin looked translucent.”
Over the next several days, the child was eating less and become more lethargic, and sleeping a lot. “I thought it was just a bug.”
With no improvement, she took her son to the hospital for bloodwork; everything from A1C to thyroid levels were checked. The results were sent to the on-call paediatrician, who later told Burke that her son’s iron and hemoglobin levels were extremely low.
And it appeared the culprit may, in part, have been too much yogurt and not enough of other nutrients, causing the iron deficiency.
Burke said her son lost 12 pounds in the space of three weeks as a result of losing his appetite. “The paediatrician told me when the iron gets really low, everything starts to taste like chalk. That’s why he wouldn’t eat anything else, because it was disgusting anyway.”
Burke said in the weeks before the hospital visit, her son consumed quite a bit of yogurt. “It was nothing for him to have four yogurt tubes and two to three drinks a day, on top of the milk he had.”
She said a mini-fridge meant for her children to have easy access to snacks probably didn’t help the situation. “I didn’t realize he had too much yogurt.”
Burke said the experience was a huge surprise. “They tell you yogurt is healthy, dairy is healthy. It’s gutwrenching; you think you’re trying to keep him healthy.”
Ever since, Burke has been far more careful about her son’s dairy consumption. She said her son’s doctor permitted him to have 27 ounces of dairy per day, “but that’s only if he eats his (iron-rich) food.”
That food includes more red meat and green leafy foods, as well as cooking more often on a cast iron pan, which infuses even more iron into the food.
She said her son now eats more red meat and green leafy foods, and she cooks more often using a cast iron pan, which infuses iron into the food.
Burke says while her son’s iron levels are still not quite at ‘normal’ levels, he’s back to his normal, energetic self and a regular sleep schedule.
P.E.I. dietitian Heather Mciver said iron deficiency in toddlers is one of the top issues she encounters in her practice.
“(The child) is picky, and parents get worried,” she said. “(They think) ‘if they don’t eat anything, at least they have milk’, but it makes them full enough that their appetite is poor.”
She said some form of milk is one of the first things children are introduced to after they’re born, and it becomes a comfort thing for them. But she points out that children nine and under only need two cups of milk per day.
When asked if one can indeed drink too much milk, Mciver said, “technically, yes. Technically, you don’t need to drink any milk at all.”
Mciver said the dairy industry has had “a really strong influence,” especially during the ‘Got Milk?’ campaigns of the 1990s. She said while milk is an excellent source of calcium, one should get those nutrients from a variety of sources including yogurt, kefir, some types of nuts and seeds and vegetables like spinach and kale.
Conversely, Mciver notes that with the revision of the Canada Food Guide, which downplays milk products and emphases water as the liquid of choice, some people thought that meant the nutrients within weren’t important.
“We forgot to realize we need vitamin D and calcium,” she said.
Mciver says too much of a good thing can be harmful. She said too much calcium can inhibit iron absorption, and can also cause kidney stones and constipation.
She pointed out other conditions such as hyponatremia, a deadly condition caused by drinking too much water, and too much of many multivitamins and minerals can reach toxic levels and cause harm to various parts of one’s body.
“Calcium is an important nutrient needed for bones, teeth, muscles, you name it, but too much can still be harmful.”
Iron deficiency is something that needs to be corrected immediately. In the most extreme cases, that could be through an iron transfusion - but otherwise, iron supplements and a change in diet would help change this.
“If (your child) is genuinely thirsty and milk is the beverage they know …Offer milk after a meal so they don’t fill up before. Have meals with some form of iron.”
The Dairy Farmers of Canada have publicly stated that the most recent Food Guide doesn’t reflect the most recent scientific evidence available about the nutritional value of milk.
The organization sent a statement to Saltwire Network which states that many young children in Canada have “low dietary intakes” of calcium and vitamin D, and that evidence of the nutritional benefits of milk products is “stronger than ever.”
“Milk provides complete protein, highly bioavailable calcium and vitamin D to help build strong bones and support growth,” the statement says. “DFC agrees that balanced eating is an important aspect of a healthy diet to ensure an adequate intake of all nutrients. In all of its nutritional promotional efforts, DFC advocates for a balanced diet whereby dairy products play an important role.”