China Dairy ›› 2026, Vol. 0 ›› Issue (7): 160-168.doi: 10.12377/1671-4393.26.07.21

• DAIRY INDUSTRY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research Progress on the Regulatory Effects of Bioactive Components in Milk on Bone Health

LIU Fang   

  1. Zhangqiu District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Career Development Center,Jinan Shandong 250200
  • Published:2026-08-19

Abstract: The bone health benefits of milk arise from the synergistic regulation of multiple bioactive components rather than the action of a single nutrient. This paper reviewed the mechanisms by which milk-derived minerals(calcium,phosphorus,magnesium),whey protein (including lactoferrin),casein phosphopeptides,milk fat globule membrane,vitamin D,and vitamin K2 promote bone formation and inhibit bone resorption. The enhancing effects of fermentation processes on the bone health benefits of dairy products were also discussed. Current evidence indicates that whey protein promotes osteoblast differentiation via the IGF-1/mTORC1 pathway,casein phosphopeptides improve calcium bioavailability,vitamin K2 catalyzes the carboxylation of bone matrix proteins,vitamin D regulates calcium transporter expression,and fermented dairy products exert additional protective effects through probiotic metabolism and the gut-bone axis regulation. The synergistic action of multiple components represents a distinctive advantage of milk over single calcium supplements and may provide a theoretical basis for the targeted development of functional dairy products.

Key words: milk, bone health, whey protein, casein phosphopeptides, vitamin K2, vitamin D, fermented dairy products

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