Human Milk Composition: Nutrients and Bioactive Factors

Abstract

It is widely accepted that the ideal way for a human infant to be nourished up to the age of 6 months is exclusive breastfeeding. Thereafter, breastfeeding with additional sources of nutrition is suitable up to the first or second birthday, or for even more prolonged periods [1, 2]. Breast milk is the sole food which precisely addresses the developmental requirements of the infant, providing both nutritional elements and bioactive compounds to ensure survival as well as healthy growth [3]. In this chapter, the nutritional and bioactive elements of breast milk are summarised. The latter category includes cells, molecules which target infectious pathogens and dampen down inflammation, growth factors and prebiotics. Breast milk differs from artificial substitutes insofar as the latter is of essentially fixed composition, whereas breast milk varies considerably in its constituents, whether in a single nursing session, over the course of the day or over the whole period of lactation. Human milk composition differs from mother to mother, as it does between populations. There are a number of reasons for this variable composition, including factors related to both the mother and the surrounding environment, as well as to the way milk is expressed and the feeding pattern. Knowledge of the constituents of breast milk is vital, in order to best utilise the opportunities breastfeeding offers, especially for those children who are most vulnerable to adverse outcomes, and to inform discussion about how breast milk can potentially be stored and whether it should be pasteurised. The chapter will also discuss bioactive factors which have been identified as potential prophylactic or therapeutic agents and may be suitable to undergo pharmaceutical development and testing [3-5]. © 2023 The Author(s). All rights reserved.