Importance of human milk for infants in the clinical setting: Updates and mechanistic links

Abstract

IntroductionHuman milk (HM) is the optimal source of nutrition for infants and has been implicated in multiple aspects of infant health. Although much of the existing literature has focused on the individual components that drive its nutrition content, examining HM as a biological system is needed for meaningful advancement of the field. Investigation of the nonnutritive bioactive components of HM and the maternal, infant, and environmental factors which affect these bioactives is important to better understand the importance of HM provision to infants. This information may inform care of clinical populations or infants who are critically ill, hospitalized, or who have chronic diseases and may benefit most from receiving HM.MethodsIn this narrative review, we reviewed literature examining maternal and infant influences on HM composition with a focus on studies published in the last 10 years that were applicable to clinical populations.ResultsWe found multiple studies examining HM components implicated in infant immune and gut health and neurodevelopment. Additional work is needed to understand how donor milk and formula may be used in situations of inadequate maternal HM. Furthermore, a better understanding of how maternal factors such as maternal genetics and metabolic health influence milk composition is needed.ConclusionIn this review, we affirm the importance of HM for all infants, especially clinical populations. An understanding of how HM composition is modulated by maternal and environmental factors is important to progress the field forward with respect to mechanistic links between HM biology and infant health outcomes.

Sampling Procedures for Estimating the Infant Intake of Human Milk Leptin, Adiponectin, Insulin, Glucose, and Total Lipid

“…Human lactation research has been conceptualized as a biological framework in which human milk (HM), in terms of composition, is impacted by environmental factors, including maternal and infant factors [1][2][3][4][5][6]. During the last decade, HM has become a public health focus, considering the health benefits of breastfeeding for infant growth and health programming [7][8][9][10][11]. Human milk is a dynamic complex fluid in which many components, such as leptin, adiponectin, insulin, glucose, and total lipid concentrations differ within a feed and/or throughout the day [12][13][14].…”

Nutritional Strategies for Preterm Neonates and Preterm Neonates Undergoing Surgery: New Insights for Practice and Wrong Beliefs to Uproot

“…An individualized feeding strategy that considers the specific surgical needs and the healing process is, therefore, essential for optimal postoperative recovery [ 11 ]. The use of human milk is strongly recommended, as it offers unique benefits for immune and gastrointestinal health and neurodevelopmental outcomes [ 12 ].…”