Breast milk: more than just nutrition!

From an evolutionary and nutritional standpoint, exclusive human milk feeding for the first 6 months of life, with continued breastfeeding for 1 to 2 years of life, is recognized as the gold standard nourishment for the infant: it is a species-specific food, with a composition designed by nature to better respond to the biological and psychological needs of the newborn/infant. Human milk contains many hundreds of bioactive molecules that protect newborn against infection and inflammation and contribute to immune maturation, organ development, and healthy microbial colonization. Compared with formula feeding, breastfeeding has been associated with decreased morbidity and mortality in infants and to lower incidence of gastrointestinal infections and inflammatory, respiratory and allergic disease. Here, we briefly review the nutritional and functional composition of human milk and provide an overview of its varied bioactive factors.

Automated summary

Exclusive human milk feeding for the first 6 months of life, with continued breastfeeding for 1 to 2 years, is considered the gold standard nourishment for infants due to its species-specific composition and numerous bioactive molecules that offer protection against infection and inflammation, contribute to immune maturation, organ development, and healthy microbial colonization. Breastfeeding has been associated with decreased morbidity and mortality in infants, as well as lower incidences of various diseases.