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PloS One 2024Recent data has characterized human milk cells with unprecedented detail and provided insight into cell populations. While such analysis of freshly expressed human milk...
Recent data has characterized human milk cells with unprecedented detail and provided insight into cell populations. While such analysis of freshly expressed human milk has been possible, studies of cell functionality within the infant have been limited to animal models. One commonly used animal model for milk research is the mouse; however, limited data are available describing the composition of mouse milk. In particular, the maternal cells of mouse milk have not been previously characterized in detail, in part due to the difficulty in collecting sufficient volumes of mouse milk. In this study, we have established a method to collect high volumes of mouse milk, isolate cells, and compare the cell counts and types to human milk. Surprisingly, we found that mouse milk cell density is three orders of magnitude higher than human milk. The cell types present in the milk of mice and humans are similar, broadly consisting of mammary epithelial cells and immune cells. These results provide a basis of comparison for mouse and human milk cells and will inform the most appropriate uses of mouse models for the study of human phenomena.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Female; Milk; Mammary Glands, Animal; Breast; Epithelial Cells; Milk, Human; Lactation
PubMed: 38295101
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297821 -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... Sep 2023Milk is often regarded as the gold standard for the nourishment of all mammalian offspring. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for... (Review)
Review
Milk is often regarded as the gold standard for the nourishment of all mammalian offspring. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of the life of the infant, followed by a slow introduction of complementary foods to the breastfeeding routine for a period of approximately 2 years, whenever this is possible ( ; WHO, 2003). One of the most abundant components in all mammals' milk, which is associated with important health benefits, is the oligosaccharides. The milk oligosaccharides (MOS) of humans and other mammals differ in terms of their concentration and diversity. Among those, goat milk contains more oligosaccharides (MOS) than other domesticated dairy animals, as well as a greater range of structures. This review summarizes the biological functions of MOS found in both human and goat milk to identify the possible biological relevance of MOS in human health and development. Based on the existing literature, seven biological functions of MOS were identified, namely, MOS action as prebiotics, immune modulators, and pathogen traps; their modulation of intestinal cells; protective effect against necrotizing enterocolitis; improved brain development; and positive effects on stressor exposure. Overall, goat milk is a viable alternate supply of functional MOS that could be employed in a newborn formula.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Animals, Domestic; Goats; Infant Formula; Infant Health; Mammals; Milk; Milk, Human; Oligosaccharides
PubMed: 37691562
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02194 -
Clinical Pharmacokinetics Jul 2023Information on the distribution of chemotherapeutic drugs to breast milk is scarce, and reports are limited to small sample sizes. Anecdotal pharmacokinetic data have...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Information on the distribution of chemotherapeutic drugs to breast milk is scarce, and reports are limited to small sample sizes. Anecdotal pharmacokinetic data have typically been acquired from lactating but non-breastfeeding patients who collect breast milk by means of an expression pump, which might not necessarily be representative for a breastfeeding population due to differences in milk production. Consequently, little is known about the variability of chemotherapy distribution to breast milk and the effect of milk production on the distribution of chemotherapy to breast milk. Our aim was to predict chemotherapy distribution to breast milk in a more realistic breastfeeding population and evaluate the effect of discarding breast milk on the potential chemotherapy exposure in infants.
METHODS
We developed a population pharmacokinetic model that described the breast milk production and the chemotherapy distribution to breast milk of a non-breastfeeding population, linked it to plasma pharmacokinetics, and extrapolated this to a breastfeeding population.
RESULTS
We found that cumulative relative infant doses (RID) were higher than 10% for cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin and approximately 1% for paclitaxel. Simulations allowed us to predict the cumulative RID and its variability in the population for patients with different milk productions and the amount of breast milk that has to be discarded to reach cumulative RIDs below 1%, 0.1%, and 0.01%. Discarding 1-2, 3-6, and 0-1 days of breast milk (depending on the milk production of the patient) resulted in cumulative RID below 1% for cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Our results may help clinicians to derive the optimal breast milk discarding strategy for an individual patient that wants to breastfeed during chemotherapy and minimize chemotherapy exposure in their infants.
Topics: Milk, Human; Breast Feeding; Humans; Female; Drug Therapy; Pharmacokinetics; Drug Development; Precision Medicine
PubMed: 37154994
DOI: 10.1007/s40262-023-01251-5 -
Current Environmental Health Reports Sep 2023Dairy milk products are dominant in the market; however, plant-based milks are gaining prominence among USA consumers. Many questions remain about how plant-based milk... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Dairy milk products are dominant in the market; however, plant-based milks are gaining prominence among USA consumers. Many questions remain about how plant-based milk products compare to dairy milk from a nutrition, public health, and planetary health perspective. Here, we compare the retail sales, nutrient profiles, and known health and environmental impacts of the production and consumption of dairy and plant-based milks and identify knowledge gaps for future studies. For our plant-based milk comparisons, we reviewed almond, soy, oat, coconut, rice, pea, cashew, and other plant-based milks as data were available.
RECENT FINDINGS
The retail unit price of plant-based milks was generally higher than that of cow's milk, making it less accessible to lower-income groups. Many plant-based milks are fortified to match the micronutrient profile of dairy milk more closely. Notable differences remained, especially in protein, zinc, and potassium, depending on the base ingredient and individual product. Some plant-based milks contain added sugar to improve flavor. Plant-based milks were generally associated with lower environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, water use) than cow's milk, with the notable exception of the higher water footprint of almond milk. This review of recent studies and consumer purchases confirmed that retail sales of plant-based milks are increasing and shifting among products. Further research is needed to better characterize the environmental impacts of newer plant-based milks, such as cashew, hemp, and pea milks; consumer attitudes and behavior towards plant-based milks; and the safety and potential health effects related to their long-term and more frequent consumption.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Female; Humans; Milk; Nutritional Status; Micronutrients
PubMed: 37300651
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00400-z -
Nutrients Aug 2023There is an inadequate understanding of the daily variations in hormones and macronutrients in human milk (HM), and sample collection protocols vary considerably from...
There is an inadequate understanding of the daily variations in hormones and macronutrients in human milk (HM), and sample collection protocols vary considerably from study to study. To investigate changes in these milk components across 24 h, 22 lactating women collected small milk samples before and after each breastfeed or expression from each breast. Test weighing was used to determine the volume of HM consumed in each feed. The concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, insulin, fat, and glucose were measured, and the intakes were calculated. A linear mixed model was fitted to assess within-feed and circadian variation in HM feed volume and concentration, and intakes of several components. The average infant intake of HM was 879 g/24 h. Significantly higher pre-feed concentrations were found for adiponectin and glucose and lower post-feed concentrations were found for insulin and fat. Significant circadian rhythms were displayed for leptin, adiponectin, insulin, glucose (both concentration and intake), fat concentration, and milk volume. These findings demonstrate the necessity for setting up standardised and rigorous sampling procedures that consider both within-feed and circadian variations in HM components to gain a more precise understanding of the impacts of these components on infant health, growth and development.
Topics: Infant; Humans; Female; Milk, Human; Leptin; Adiponectin; Lactation; Insulin; Nutrients; Glucose
PubMed: 37686759
DOI: 10.3390/nu15173729 -
Journal of Dairy Science Aug 2023Gastric digestion of 2 commercial ultrafiltered milks and milk enriched with skim milk powder (to simulate concentration by reverse osmosis) was investigated and...
Gastric digestion of 2 commercial ultrafiltered milks and milk enriched with skim milk powder (to simulate concentration by reverse osmosis) was investigated and compared with the digestion of nonconcentrated milk. Curd formation and proteolysis of high-protein milks in simulated gastric conditions were studied using oscillatory rheology, extrusion testing, and gel electrophoresis. The presence of pepsin in the gastric fluid triggered coagulation at pH >6 and the elastic modulus of gels from high-protein milks was ~5 times larger than the gel from reference milk. Despite similar protein concentrations, the coagulum from milk enriched with skim milk powder showed higher resistance to shear deformation than the coagula from ultrafiltered milks. The gel structure was also more heterogeneous. During digestion, the degradation of coagula from high-protein milks was slowed down compared with the coagulum from reference milk, and intact milk proteins were still detected after 120 min. Differences in the digestion patterns of coagula from high-protein milks were observed and were associated with the proportion of minerals bound to caseins and the denaturation rate of whey proteins.
Topics: Animals; Proteolysis; Powders; Milk; Milk Proteins; Whey Proteins; Caseins; Rheology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
PubMed: 37291035
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22714 -
Journal of Human Lactation : Official... Nov 2023Mother's breastmilk is the gold standard for feeding preterm infants. Preterm delivery may be precipitated by inflammatory maternal states, but little is known about... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Mother's breastmilk is the gold standard for feeding preterm infants. Preterm delivery may be precipitated by inflammatory maternal states, but little is known about milk cytokine profiles and how they correlate with markers of infant gut inflammation (i.e., stool calprotectin) in this vulnerable population.
RESEARCH AIM
To assess cytokines and inflammatory markers in milk from parents of very preterm infants over time as well as correlations between milk and infant's stool calprotectin.
METHOD
This is a secondary analysis of milk samples collected during OptiMoM, a triple-blind randomized clinical trial of infants born < 1250 g (NCT02137473). Longitudinally collected samples were analyzed for cytokines, choline, and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α). Infant stools were collected for longitudinal calprotectin analysis. Generalized estimating equations quantified longitudinal profiles of milk markers and stool calprotectin, their associations, and the correlation between free choline and C-reactive protein over follow-up.
RESULT
Participants included 92 parents and infants (median weeks of gestation 27.3, median birth weight 845 g, and prevalence of male infants 45%). In all, 212 milk samples and 94 corresponding stool calprotectin levels were collected 1-11 weeks postpartum. C-reactive protein was present in much higher concentrations than other markers, and was highest in Week 1 postpartum. It decreased over time. IL-8 and free choline also changed over time while other markers did not. There was no correlation between any milk markers and stool calprotectin.
CONCLUSION
Milk from mothers of very preterm infants has detectable inflammatory markers, some of which change over time. Research is needed to determine if infant outcomes are associated with these markers.
Topics: Female; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Male; Humans; Milk, Human; Infant, Premature; Mothers; Breast Feeding; C-Reactive Protein; Interleukin-8; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Cytokines; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; Choline
PubMed: 37653641
DOI: 10.1177/08903344231192441 -
Nutrients Jul 2023Mothers' own milk (MOM) for premature babies is considered a life-saving drug for its proven protective action against the complications of prematurity and for effects...
Mothers' own milk (MOM) for premature babies is considered a life-saving drug for its proven protective action against the complications of prematurity and for effects on outcome in the short and long term, especially neurological ones. We studied the use of MOM for infants weighing <1500 g for a period of 5 years, evaluating the trend over time and the impact of some variables on human milk feeding performance. Statistical comparisons concerned the rate of feeding with breast milk during a stay in an NICU and at discharge with respect to two types of variables: (1) maternal and neonatal characteristics (gestational age, birth weight, type of pregnancy (whether single or twin), maternal age) and (2) feeding characteristics (time of the start of minimal enteral feeding and availability of MOM, days until the achievement of full enteral feeding). Group comparisons were performed using ANOVA or -test for continuous variables and Pearson chi-squared test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables. We observed an increase, between 2017 and 2021, in MOM use ( = 0.003). The availability of the own mothers' milk occurred, on average, on the fourth day of life and improved over the years. The start of minimal enteral feeding (MEF) with human milk averaged 1.78 days, and 54.3% of VLBWs received MEF with donor milk on the first day of life. The average percentage of feeding with the mothers' milk at discharge was 47.6%, with 36.1% of exclusive MOM and an increase from 45.8% in 2017 (33.3% exclusive) to 58.82% (41.18% exclusive) in 2021. The mean average daily growth of the weight improved ( < 0.001) during this period, and there was no statistical difference between infants fed with maternal milk and those fed with bank milk. Older maternal age, early-start feeding with maternal milk and low gestational age had a statistically significant impact on feeding with MOM at discharge.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Infant; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Milk, Human; Breast Feeding; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Patient Discharge; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Mothers
PubMed: 37571252
DOI: 10.3390/nu15153314 -
Nutrition Research (New York, N.Y.) Jun 2024Bovine dairy milk is a nutrient-rich matrix, but consumption of full-fat dairy food varieties has been claimed historically to be associated with poorer cardiometabolic... (Review)
Review
Bovine dairy milk is a nutrient-rich matrix, but consumption of full-fat dairy food varieties has been claimed historically to be associated with poorer cardiometabolic health, a notion often attributed to the saturated fat content. However, continued investigation that includes observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide evidence that favorably supports full-fat dairy foods and their bioactive components on cardiometabolic health. This review addresses this controversy by examining the evidence surrounding full-fat dairy foods and their implications for human health. Dairy foods are heterogeneous, not just in their fat content but also in other compositional aspects within and between fermented (e.g., yogurt, cheese) and nonfermented products (e.g., milk) that could differentially influence cardiometabolic health. Drawing from complementary lines of evidence from epidemiological studies and RCTs, this review describes the health effects of dairy foods regarding their fat content, as well as their polar lipids that are concentrated in the milk fat globule fraction. Observational studies have limitedly supported the consumption of full-fat dairy to protect against cardiometabolic disorders. However, this framework has been disputed by RCTs indicating that dairy foods, regardless of their fat content or fermentation, are not detrimental to cardiometabolic health and may instead alleviate certain cardiometabolic risk factors. As dietary recommendations evolve, which currently indicate to avoid full-fat dairy foods, it is essential to consider the totality of evidence, especially from RCTs, while also recognizing that investigation is needed to evaluate the complexity of dairy foods within diverse dietary patterns and their impacts on cardiometabolic health.
Topics: Humans; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Dairy Products; Diet; Dietary Fats; Glycolipids; Glycoproteins; Lipid Droplets; Milk; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38669850
DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.010 -
Nutrients Jan 2024Due to its very early introduction, cow's milk is one of the first foods that can cause adverse reactions in human beings. Lactose intolerance (LI) and cow's milk... (Review)
Review
Due to its very early introduction, cow's milk is one of the first foods that can cause adverse reactions in human beings. Lactose intolerance (LI) and cow's milk allergy (CMA) are the most common adverse reactions to cow's milk. While LI is due to insufficient small intestinal lactase activity and/or a large quantity of ingested lactose, CMA is an aberrant immune reaction to cow's milk proteins, particularly casein or β-lactoglobulin. However, the clinical manifestations of LI and CMA, particularly their gastrointestinal signs and symptoms, are very similar, which might lead to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis as well as nutritional risks due to inappropriate dietary interventions or unnecessary dietary restriction. Formula-fed infants with LI should be treated with formula with reduced or no lactose, while those with CMA should be treated with formula containing extensive hydrolyzed cow's milk protein or amino acids. This review is therefore written to assist clinicians to better understand the pathophysiologies of LI and CMA as well as to recognize the similarities and differences between clinical manifestations of LI and CMA.
Topics: Infant; Animals; Cattle; Female; Humans; Milk Hypersensitivity; Lactose Intolerance; Milk; Caseins; Allergens; Protein Hydrolysates; Milk Proteins
PubMed: 38337698
DOI: 10.3390/nu16030414