Evidence mapPaperPMID 41822303Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in aging2026

Effect of milk and dairy intake on cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yessica Giraldo-Castrillon, Juan Diego Mendoza, Marianne Lopez-Cabrera, Jose P Lopez-Lopez, Patricio Lopez-Jaramillo

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in aging, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Yessica Giraldo-CastrillonMasira Research Institute, Medical School, Universidad de Santander UDES, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Juan Diego MendozaInternal Medicine Residence Program, Medical School, Universidad de Santander, UDES, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Marianne Lopez-CabreraMasira Research Institute, Medical School, Universidad de Santander UDES, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Jose P Lopez-LopezMasira Research Institute, Medical School, Universidad de Santander UDES, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Patricio Lopez-JaramilloMasira Research Institute, Medical School, Universidad de Santander UDES, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Cognitive aging represents a growing challenge for global public health. Nutrition could have a beneficial effect in preserving cognitive function, and dairy products have been proposed as neuroprotective due to their nutrient density and bioactive compounds. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated the association between milk and dairy product intake and cognitive function in older adults. Methods: The systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, and Google Scholar through 9 August 2025, including randomized controlled trials (RCT) and observational studies evaluating dairy intake versus low or no intake in adults aged ≥60 years. Meta-analysis were conducted using a random-effects model, and methodological quality was assessed using RoB 2.0 (Risk of Bias), ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias in Non-randomized Studies), and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation). Results: 22 studies were included (11 RCT, 11 observational studies; n = 47.100), of which 5 RCT (n = 369) and 5 observational (n = 5.302) studies were analyzed by meta-analysis. RCT revealed significant positive effects on global cognition [Standardized Mean Difference -SMD-) = 0.45; 95%CI: 0.30-0.60], memory, and processing speed. This effect was associated in fermented and fortified products, with moderate to high certainty. In observational studies no positive effect emerged (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.95 95%CI: 0.89-1.02). Conclusion: Our findings support the potential of dairy intake as a nutritional strategy to preserve cognitive function in older adults, with implications for clinical practice, public health, and food policy design.

Indexed as

agingcognitive declinedairy intakemeta-analysisnutritionolder adultssystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41822303
PMCPMC12975744

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.