The impact of human breast milk components on the infant metabolism

Abstract

Background & aimsBreastfeeding is beneficial for mothers and infants. Underlying mechanisms and biochemical mediators thus need to be investigated to develop and support improved infant nutrition practices promoting the child health. We analysed the relation between maternal breast milk composition and infant metabolism.Methods196 pairs of mothers and infants from a European research project (PreventCD) were studied. Maternal milk samples collected at month 1 and month 4 after birth were analysed for macronutrient classes, hormone, and fatty acid (FA) content. Phospholipids, acylcarnitines, and amino acids were measured in serum samples of 4-month old infants. Associations between milk components and infant metabolites were analysed with spearman correlation and linear mixed effect models (LME). P-values were corrected for multiple testing (PLME).ResultsMonth 1 milk protein content was strongly associated with infant serum lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) 14:0 (PLME = 0.009). Month 1 milk insulin was associated to infant acetylcarnitine (PLME = 0.01). There were no associations between milk protein content and serum amino acids and milk total fat content and serum polar lipids. Middle- and odd-chain FA% in breast milk at both ages were significantly related to serum LPC and sphingomyelins (SM) species in infant serum (all PLME<0.05), while FA% 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 percentages were significantly associated to serum LPC 22:6 (PLME = 1.91×10−4/7.93×10−5) in milk only at month 4. Other polyunsaturated fatty acids and hormones in milk showed only weak associations with infant serum metabolites.ConclusionsInfant serum LPC are influenced by breast milk FA composition and, intriguingly, milk protein content in early but not late lactation. LPC 14:0, previously found positively associated with obesity risk, was the serum metabolite which was the most strongly associated to milk protein content. Thus, LPC 14:0 might be a key metabolite not only reflecting milk protein intake in infants, but also relating high protein content in milk or infant formula to childhood obesity risk.

Comparative Lipidomic Study of Human Milk from Different Lactation Stages and Milk Formulas

“…According to previous reports, many children are fed by formula milk at the early stage of their life [ 7 , 8 ]. Considering the reports presenting differences in the health outcomes of breastfed and formula-fed children and how these differences impact metabolism [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ], it is reasonable to explore the chemical composition of both human milk and commercially available FM, especially from a longitudinal perspective.…”

“…These outcomes include cognitive development, reduced risk of infectious diarrhoea and acute otitis media for breastfed children and different growth patterns, nutritional status, and gut microbiota that may be associated with a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases in adulthood for artificially fed infants [ 20 , 21 ]. Moreover, HM and FM nutrition regimens affect neonatal metabolism differently [ 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”

Dietary Intake Influences Metabolites in Healthy Infants: A Scoping Review

“…Of these, 180 were excluded through abstract screening, and a further 10 were excluded during full-text screening (analyzed bacteria in feces rather than metabolites ( n = 4); analyzed <3 metabolites ( n = 5); dietary exposure unclear ( n = 1)). Accordingly, a total of 24 articles were analyzed fully [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. This scoping review focused on metabolomic analyses as opposed to individual and single biomarkers, therefore studies with fewer than three metabolites analyzed were excluded from further review.…”

“…The summary of plasma, serum and DBS are included in Table 2 . Plasma and serum were the biofluids for the following reports [ 41 , 43 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. Two articles discussed metabolites as revealed from dried-blood spot samples [ 32 , 46 ].…”

Microbiome‐immune‐metabolic axis in the epidemic of childhood obesity: Evidence and opportunities

“…An analysis of pooled studies demonstrated that infants that are breastfed are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life compared to infants that are formula‐fed . Another problem with infant formulas is that they typically contain higher proteins which promote lipogenesis and development of fat cells in the infant, leading to childhood obesity . Further studies demonstrated that the infants fed a lower protein formula weighed less compared to higher protein formula fed infants and have similar weight compared to breastfed infants .…”