Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCurrent ResearchMilk and Mucus ProductionWhy Mucus MattersMilk BenefitsWhen to Avoid MilkCold Treatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Current Research
Milk and Mucus Production
Why Mucus Matters
Milk Benefits
When to Avoid Milk
Cold Treatments
Some people believe you should avoid consuming milk and other dairy products when you have a cold or sore throat because they createmucusthat can make symptoms worse. To date, the evidence supporting the claim is mixed, with some suggesting that milk has no effect and others suggesting that it may in some cases.
But before you put away the dairy, it might be helpful to understand the relationship between milk and mucus and various ways that drinking milk might help soothe your sore throat orupper respiratory infection.
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Is Milk Bad For a Sore Throat?
One early study published in theAmerican Review of Respiratory Diseasesfound no difference in the amount ofnasal mucusproduced in 30 people with colds who drank milk versus 30 volunteers with colds who did not drink milk.
A similar study in theJournal of the American College of Nutritionevaluated the effect of drinking milk among people withasthmaand found that the consumption of milk neither increased mucus production nor made symptoms worse.
Despite a lack of scientific evidence, many people who get colds or sore throats adamantly insist that cow’s milk makes their symptoms worse, and scientists aren’t certain why this is.
A 2019 study published inLaryngoscopeinvestigated the effect of milk outside of the context of colds to see if dairy had any general effect on mucus production. The researchers found that a dairy-free diet lasting four days did, in fact, reduce mucus secretions based on self-reports from the study participants. Not all participants experienced this, but many did.
While there isn’t significant research linking dairy consumption to increased mucus production, switching to a non-dairy milk, like almond milk, during a cold or sore throat may provide some relief from symptoms.
You can also add cinnamon to almond milk for symptom relief. Cinnamon has been used for years for treating sore throat and cough. Cinnamon has been shown to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties and it may also help reduce a fever.
The 2019 study suggests that it is possible that some people might feel the effects of milk consumption during a cold or sore throat due to an increase of phlegm or mucus. It has been suggested that milk’s effect on mucus secretion is related to how some people respond to the breakdown of milk during digestion.
It is known, for example, that an amino acid calledbeta-casomorphin-7is created from the breakdown of milk, which can stimulate mucus production in the intestines of some people.This is especially true in people withlactose intolerance.
It is hypothesized that these amino acids may circulate in the bloodstream and trigger the same effect in the upper respiratory tract.
If current scientific findings hold true, milk doesn’t so much “cause” mucus during a cold but instead triggers mucus production irrespective of illness in some people. But further research is needed.
Mucus moistens, lubricates, and protects the passages of the digestive and respiratory tracts. It also provides a barrier against foreign particles that try to enter body openings, capturing them before they get inside the body.
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection during which blood vessels widen to allow immune cells closer access to the “frontlines” of the infection. The widening, in turn, releases fluid into surrounding tissues, causing them to swell.
When the nasal passages are inflamed due to an infection, the swelling causes more nasal mucus (phlegm) to be produced, leading tonasal congestion,postnasal drip, arunny nose, and coughing.
Can Milk Be Good for a Sore Throat?
Dairy products like milk or yogurt may help ease cold symptoms if they help to soothe your sore throat. Warm milk or golden milk may be most effective.
Golden milk is warm milk a small amount of ground turmeric added along with a sweetener such as honey. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which may have anti-inflammatory properties and might even help reduce the duration of your cold.
In addition, milk and other dairy products provide energy in the form of calories and other nutrients like vitamin D and calcium. If you don’t like drinking milk, consider creamy yogurt or soft cold ice cream to soothe your sore throat.
When to Avoid Milk for a Cold
There is no evidence that drinking milk will make a cold or sore throat worse.
With that said, if you have lactose intolerance but have not been diagnosed, it is possible to experience increased congestion if you consume milk or other dairy products during a cold or sore throat.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance include:
If you have lactose intolerance, the avoidance of cow’s milk is advised.
Other Cold and Sore Throat Treatments
Thecommon coldis treated symptomatically, letting the infection run its course (usually seven to 10 days).
Aside from dairy products, other foods may help to ease cold symptoms and a sore throat. These include:
Avoid hard, crunchy, spicy, or acidic food that can irritate the throat.
Some home remedies can also help you to feel better. Effective treatments may involve:
You need to see a healthcare provider immediately if a sore throat:
When to Seek Emergency CareCall 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if a sore throat worsens and causes:Trouble breathingTrouble swallowingVomitingBlood in your salivaCoughing up blood
When to Seek Emergency Care
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if a sore throat worsens and causes:Trouble breathingTrouble swallowingVomitingBlood in your salivaCoughing up blood
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if a sore throat worsens and causes:
Summary
In some cases, drinking milk may be helpful in trying to ease cold symptoms. Warm milk, creamy yogurt, or soft cold ice cream may help to soothe a sore throat during a cold.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pinnock CB, Graham NM, Mylvaganam A, Douglas RM.Relationship between milk intake and mucus production in adult volunteers challenged with rhinovirus-2.Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990;141(2):352-6. doi:10.1164/ajrccm/141.2.352Wüthrich B, Schmid A, Walther B, Sieber R.Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma.J Am Coll Nutr. 2005;24(6 Suppl):547S - 555S. doi:10.1080/07315724.2005.10719503Frosh A, Cruz C, Wellsted D, Stephens J.Effect of a dairy diet on nasopharyngeal mucus secretion.Laryngoscope. 2019;129(1):13-17. doi:10.1002/lary.27287Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M.Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities.Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2015;5(2):66-70. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.008Bartley J, McGlashan SR.Does milk increase mucus production?Med Hypotheses. 2010;74(4):732-734. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.10.044Pal S, Woodford K, Kukuljan S, Ho S.Milk intolerance, beta-casein and lactose.Nutrients.2015;7(9):7285–97. doi:10.3390/nu7095339Sykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-7Mount Sinai.Turmeric.Kuwabara Y, Hirose A, Lee H, Kakinuma T, Baba A, Takara T.Effects of highly bioavailable curcumin supplementation on common cold symptoms and immune and inflammatory functions in healthy japanese subjects: a randomized controlled study.Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2024;21(1):71-98.MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.DeGeorge KC, Ring DJ, Dalrymple SN.Treatment of the common cold.Am Fam Physician. 2019;100(5):281-9.American College of Emergency Physicians.Sore throat.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pinnock CB, Graham NM, Mylvaganam A, Douglas RM.Relationship between milk intake and mucus production in adult volunteers challenged with rhinovirus-2.Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990;141(2):352-6. doi:10.1164/ajrccm/141.2.352Wüthrich B, Schmid A, Walther B, Sieber R.Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma.J Am Coll Nutr. 2005;24(6 Suppl):547S - 555S. doi:10.1080/07315724.2005.10719503Frosh A, Cruz C, Wellsted D, Stephens J.Effect of a dairy diet on nasopharyngeal mucus secretion.Laryngoscope. 2019;129(1):13-17. doi:10.1002/lary.27287Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M.Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities.Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2015;5(2):66-70. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.008Bartley J, McGlashan SR.Does milk increase mucus production?Med Hypotheses. 2010;74(4):732-734. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.10.044Pal S, Woodford K, Kukuljan S, Ho S.Milk intolerance, beta-casein and lactose.Nutrients.2015;7(9):7285–97. doi:10.3390/nu7095339Sykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-7Mount Sinai.Turmeric.Kuwabara Y, Hirose A, Lee H, Kakinuma T, Baba A, Takara T.Effects of highly bioavailable curcumin supplementation on common cold symptoms and immune and inflammatory functions in healthy japanese subjects: a randomized controlled study.Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2024;21(1):71-98.MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.DeGeorge KC, Ring DJ, Dalrymple SN.Treatment of the common cold.Am Fam Physician. 2019;100(5):281-9.American College of Emergency Physicians.Sore throat.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Pinnock CB, Graham NM, Mylvaganam A, Douglas RM.Relationship between milk intake and mucus production in adult volunteers challenged with rhinovirus-2.Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990;141(2):352-6. doi:10.1164/ajrccm/141.2.352Wüthrich B, Schmid A, Walther B, Sieber R.Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma.J Am Coll Nutr. 2005;24(6 Suppl):547S - 555S. doi:10.1080/07315724.2005.10719503Frosh A, Cruz C, Wellsted D, Stephens J.Effect of a dairy diet on nasopharyngeal mucus secretion.Laryngoscope. 2019;129(1):13-17. doi:10.1002/lary.27287Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M.Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities.Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2015;5(2):66-70. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.008Bartley J, McGlashan SR.Does milk increase mucus production?Med Hypotheses. 2010;74(4):732-734. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.10.044Pal S, Woodford K, Kukuljan S, Ho S.Milk intolerance, beta-casein and lactose.Nutrients.2015;7(9):7285–97. doi:10.3390/nu7095339Sykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-7Mount Sinai.Turmeric.Kuwabara Y, Hirose A, Lee H, Kakinuma T, Baba A, Takara T.Effects of highly bioavailable curcumin supplementation on common cold symptoms and immune and inflammatory functions in healthy japanese subjects: a randomized controlled study.Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2024;21(1):71-98.MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.DeGeorge KC, Ring DJ, Dalrymple SN.Treatment of the common cold.Am Fam Physician. 2019;100(5):281-9.American College of Emergency Physicians.Sore throat.
Pinnock CB, Graham NM, Mylvaganam A, Douglas RM.Relationship between milk intake and mucus production in adult volunteers challenged with rhinovirus-2.Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990;141(2):352-6. doi:10.1164/ajrccm/141.2.352
Wüthrich B, Schmid A, Walther B, Sieber R.Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma.J Am Coll Nutr. 2005;24(6 Suppl):547S - 555S. doi:10.1080/07315724.2005.10719503
Frosh A, Cruz C, Wellsted D, Stephens J.Effect of a dairy diet on nasopharyngeal mucus secretion.Laryngoscope. 2019;129(1):13-17. doi:10.1002/lary.27287
Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M.Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities.Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 2015;5(2):66-70. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.008
Bartley J, McGlashan SR.Does milk increase mucus production?Med Hypotheses. 2010;74(4):732-734. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.10.044
Pal S, Woodford K, Kukuljan S, Ho S.Milk intolerance, beta-casein and lactose.Nutrients.2015;7(9):7285–97. doi:10.3390/nu7095339
Sykes EA, Wu V, Beyea MM, Simpson MTW, Beyea JA.Pharyngitis: approach to diagnosis and treatment.Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(4):251-7
Mount Sinai.Turmeric.
Kuwabara Y, Hirose A, Lee H, Kakinuma T, Baba A, Takara T.Effects of highly bioavailable curcumin supplementation on common cold symptoms and immune and inflammatory functions in healthy japanese subjects: a randomized controlled study.Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2024;21(1):71-98.
MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.
DeGeorge KC, Ring DJ, Dalrymple SN.Treatment of the common cold.Am Fam Physician. 2019;100(5):281-9.
American College of Emergency Physicians.Sore throat.
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