A HIDDEN health threat could be lurking in the lattes of around half the population, a study suggests.

Drinking milk increases the risk of a heart attack – with even skimmed milk a danger.

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Scientists reckon cow’s milk’s large amounts of lactose trigger harmful inflammation and cell damage, ageing the heart faster.

But the risk only appears to affect women.

Men do not seem to suffer the same effects because they can better digest the sugar.

Experts at Uppsala University in Sweden used data from 101,000 people for their study.

They found that consuming 400ml of the white stuff each day, about two thirds of a pint, was linked to a five per cent higher risk of coronary heart disease.

The illness is one of the most common causes of death in Britain and about 2.3million people have it.

More milk linked to higher risk

As women in the study drank more milk, their heart risk increased – by 12 per cent for 600ml per day or 21 per cent for 800ml.

People in the UK consume an estimated 1.2 litres of milk each per week, on average.

Large cups at high street coffee shops often contain a pint of liquid and most of it is milk in a latte or cappuccino.

The researchers said swapping some milk in your diet with yoghurt would be healthier.

Writing in the journal BMC Medicine, study author Professor Karl Michaëlsson said: “A healthy diet is essential for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

“Our analysis supports an association between milk intake higher than 300ml per day and higher rates of ischaemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction [heart attack] specifically, in women, but not in men.

“The higher risk in women was evident irrespective of the fat content of the milk.

“Replacing non-fermented milk with moderate fermented milk intake could lower the risks.”

Fermented milk products include yoghurt, buttermilk and sour cream.

The British Heart Foundation says milk is a good source of protein and calcium and people do not need to cut it out but can swap to lower-fat versions to reduce their calorie intake.