Milk allergies among children can result in lower bone density and calcium intake before puberty than among kids with other types of food allergies, based on a new study. Researchers also learned that pre-puberty children with constant cow's milk allergy (CMA) have Vitamin D levels and intake similar to kids with non-CMA allergies (NCMA).   

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The study was conducted by the University of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, and published online on April 19, Tuesday in Pediatrics. Dr. Genevieve Mailhot and her research team are from the Department of Nutrition and the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Centre at the University of Montreal.

Researchers wrote that the growth of bone mass during childhood is a major sign of their adult bone health. Therefore, being unable to reach peak bone mass is linked to high risk of osteoporosis and bone breaks later in a person's adult life, according to Medscape.

CMA is the common type of childhood food allergy and affects 2 to 3 percent of kids. Children with CMA mas stay on a strict diet with no dairy products until the allergy disappears. This happens among up to 87 percent of children by age 3, but can last until adolescence in up to 15 percent of cases.  

Dairy products make up over half of Vitamin D and calcium intakes in kids. Therefore, the non-milk diet boosts the risk of vitamin deficiency and requires the children to take calcium and Vitamin D supplements when other foods do not meet the dietary requirements .  

The study included pre-puberty children with CMA and 29 pre-puberty children with NCMA. It was conducted between 2011 and 2014 from October to April to limit exposure to Vitamin D from sunlight.

Researchers reported that the pre-puberty children with constant CMA showed lower bone mineral density (BMD) even though they had normal growth. That could result from lower calcium intake. Researchers explain that follow-up studies could verify that the CMA children had a lower rate of bone growth.   

In related news, Dr. Chauncey Crandall reports that studies show more Vitamin D intake can result in better heart function, according to Newsmax. It also helps to lower risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and improves a person's mood.

Here are alternatives to cow's milk: