Breast milk composition: What’s in your breast milk? | Medela (2024)

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Breast milk composition: What’s in your breast milk? | Medela? ›

It's rich in protein, sugar, vitamins and minerals, plus numerous bioactive components – such as hormones, growth factors, enzymes and live cells – to support your baby's healthy growth and development. From four weeks, the nutritional content and levels of ingredients in mature milk generally remain fairly consistent.

As is already well known, HBM contains about 87%–88% water, and 124- g/L solid components as macronutrients, including about 7% (60–70 g/L) carbohydrates, 1% (8–10 g/L) protein, and 3.8% (35–40 g/L) fat. The composition may vary depending on the environmental factors, including maternal diet.

Breastfeeding may also indirectly affect the metabolism of mercury in exposed infants by increasing elimination of the toxic metal.” Human milk contains many brain-protective substances, including selenium, glutathione, vitamin E, cysteine, tryptophan, choline, taurine, S100B protein, sialic acid, and polyunsaturated ...

“While human breast milk is nutritious and beneficial for infants, consuming it as an adult may not provide the same nutritional benefits and could potentially expose the consumer to health risks.”

One drop of breastmilk contains about one million white blood cells protecting baby from infections. There has never been documentation of an infant having an allergic reaction to its mother's breastmilk.

Epithelial cells, which contain both RNA and DNA, make up 50–90% of cell types found in human breastmilk. Analyses of RNA and DNA from human milk provide a platform to better understand the mechanism for compositional variability and neonatal outcomes.

Breastmilk contains living cells, stem cells, white cells, immune factors and antibodies which cannot be added to formula. And that's just the beginning. As well, not on the list of ingredients on the formula can are undesirable ingredients such as unacceptable high levels of aluminum, arsenic and cadmium (see below).

However, drinking breast milk is safe only if it is from your partner whom you know well. This is because breast milk is a bodily fluid, and you do not want yourself to be at risk of infectious diseases such as cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus, or syphilis.

Some bodybuilders, for example, currently buy human breast milk on the black market, erroneously believing it will help them build muscle—even though human breast milk has far less protein than cow's milk and protein is what muscle tissue is primarily made of.

Can breast milk benefit adults? ›

Even though there is no established benefit of consuming human milk for adults, there is plenty of evidence of its benefit for newborns. For those who are unable to receive their mother's own milk, WHO recommends the provision of donor human milk processed by regulated milk banks to ensure its safety.

As you continue to nurse, your baby will take in more antibodies, which helps them resist illness and infection now and in the future.

Dr. Keim noted that women can transmit diseases via donated milk, even if they don't feel sick. These can include HIV and cytomegalovirus, and others. If an infant receives that milk, their life could be at risk.

While breast milk is highly nutritive, containing important immunological and growth factors, scientific investigation reveals a few short-falls. Overall, human breast milk has been found to be low in certain nutrients in developed countries: vitamin D, iodine, iron, and vitamin K.

Breast milk changes as your baby grows so he gets exactly what he needs at the right time. For example, for the first few days after giving birth, your breasts make a thick, sticky, early form of breast milk called colostrum. Colostrum has nutrients and antibodies that your baby needs in the first few days of life.

Here are some of the other constituents of human milk present at every feed, many of which can't be replicated: Millions of live cells. These include immune-boosting white blood cells, as well as stem cells, which may help organs develop and heal.

However, drinking breast milk is safe only if it is from your partner whom you know well. This is because breast milk is a bodily fluid, and you do not want yourself to be at risk of infectious diseases such as cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus, or syphilis.

Compared to human milk, cow milk has higher levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chloride, and zinc, making it a better source of vitamins and minerals. This is just one of the reasons why the USDA still recommends that adults consume roughly 3 cups of dairy each day.

Hum Cell.

While an occasional nibble of some dairy products such as cheese might not hurt them, human milk and cow's milk contains a significant amount of lactose that can make their tummies throw tantrums. Even though puppies may not be lactose intolerant, they shouldn't rely on human breast milk for growth and development.