Polyamines in Human Milk and Their Benefits for Infant Health

Abstract

Breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant nutrition in the first six months of life when feeding choices determine growth and development. However, human milk is a complex and highly variable fluid that, in addition to nutrients, contains several bioactive components, including polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine), and constitutes the first exogenous source of these compounds for infants. Active in various cellular processes, polyamines are involved in the growth and maturation of the gastrointestinal tract and the development of the immune system and therefore play an important role in the first year of life. This chapter reviews the impact of polyamines on infant growth and health, the polyamine content in human milk and how it is influenced by factors related to both the mother-child dyad and breastfeeding itself. In addition, a comparative analysis of human milk and infant formulas in terms of polyamine content and profile is presented.

New Insights into Identification, Distribution, and Health Benefits of Polyamines and Their Derivatives

“… − There is no significant difference in the contents of spermidine and spermine between meat and meat products . Fresh cow’s milk and eggs have low polyamine content, while fermented dairy products present higher levels of putrescine and spermidine. ,, Particularly in cheese (cheddar, matured), putrescine content can reach up to 653 mg/kg, and the agmatine content can reach 199 mg/kg . As a fermented food, cheese undergoes microbial fermentation, producing high levels of putrescine.…”

“…In recent years, with the ongoing advancement of research on polyamines in food, there has been a continuous update of reviews on the types, quantities, and potential benefits of polyamines in food. ,,,− However, previous reviews’ attention toward polyamines in food has been predominantly centered on the free form, while less attention is paid to the conjugated form with a wider variety of types, quantities, and potential benefits. To the best of our knowledge, extant literature solely encompasses the review by Wang et al elucidating the chemical structures and functionalities of CPAs within food matrices .…”

“…Polyamines are present in various food sources, including animal, plant-derived, and microbial sources in free or conjugated forms . Among free polyamines (FPAs), spermidine and spermine are the most common and abundant in foods, while putrescine and cadaverine are frequently found in fermented or spoiled food . In plants, PAs are usually present in the conjugated form, and bond to hydroxycinnamic acids within plant organisms to form conjugated PAs (CPAs), also named phenolamides. , Thus, CPAs as plant-specialized metabolites are exclusively present in plant-derived foods.…”