Abstract
Dairy foods play an important role in supporting health across the lifespan, although nutritional requirements and physiological responses change with age. Due to their complex matrix, dairy products provide high-quality proteins, lipids, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds that collectively influence digestion, nutrient bioavailability, and physiological responses. This review synthesizes current evidence on the role of dairy products in sup porting health across life stages, from infancy to older adulthood, with particular emphasis on aging populations. In early life, dairy-derived components, such as milk fat globule membrane, support gastrointestinal development, immune function, and neurocognitive outcomes. During adolescence and adulthood, dairy nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, and leucine-rich proteins, promote bone mineralization, muscle protein synthesis, and cardiometabolic health. With aging, changes in gastrointestinal function, nutrient absorption, and gut microbiota reduce nutrient bioavailability, contributing to diseases such as osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Dairy-based strategies, including protein optimization and incorporation of bioactive compounds and probiotics, show promise in mitigating these age-related declines. Collectively, dairy foods provide a versatile dietary framework for supporting health and healthy aging across the lifespan, with emerging opportunities to tailor recommendations according to individual physiological needs and life stage.