Background: Accumulating evidence has shown that protein-rich milk drinks can rapidly improve cognitive performance. However, the optimum doses of milk protein that are needed to improve cognitive function remain to be investigated.
Objective: This study aimed to determine whether acidified milk drinks with 10-g and 15-g milk protein have acute benefits on key cognitive functions in healthy young adults.
Design: In this double-blinded randomized control trial, 66 young adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups (0-g, 10-g, and 15-g milk protein groups). Key cognitive functions (processing speed, inhibition, shifting, updating, and working memory capacity) were assessed before and 15 and 60 min after the drink intake.
Results: We found that the shifting performance improved at 15 min after intake of the acidified 10-g and 15-g milk protein drinks compared to intake of the 0-g milk protein drink, and this acute effect of the acidified 15-g milk protein drink lasted for 60 min. In addition, updating performance improved at 60 min after intake of the acidified 10-g and 15-g milk protein drinks compared to intake of the 0-g milk protein drink.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the acidified 10-g and 15-g milk protein drinks have an acute benefit on shifting and updating performance in healthy young adults.
Keywords: acidified milk; acute benefit; executive function; milk protein; shifting; updating.