Composition of Human Breast Milk – Excerpt

Human breast milk is a complex matrix with a general composition of 87% water, 3.8% fat, 1.0% protein, and 7% lactose. The fat and lactose, respectively, provide 50% and 40% of the total energy of the milk [11]. However, the composition of human breast milk is dynamic and changes over time, adapting itself to the changing needs of the growing child. For instance, during each nursing session, the milk that is expressed first (foremilk) is thinner with a higher content of lactose, which satisfies a baby’s thirst, and following the foremilk, hindmilk, is creamier with a much higher content of fat for the baby’s needs. Variations are also present with the stage of nursing (age of infant), maternal diet, maternal health, and environmental exposure. During early lactation, the protein content in human milk ranges from 1.4–1.6 g/100 mL, to 0.8–1.0 g/100 mL after three to four months of lactation, to 0.7–0.8 g/100 mL after six months [11,12]. The fat content varies significantly with maternal diet and is also positively related to weight gain during pregnancy. Remarkably, it has been observed that a mother’s breast milk is almost always adequate in essential nutrients for her term infant’s growth and development, even when her own nutrition is inadequate. Although the mean concentrations of protein, sodium, chloride and potassium in early preterm milk are adequate to meet the estimated requirements for preterm infants, specific nutritional supplementation is required for mother’s milk delivered to preterm infants [13,14].

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In contrast to protein and fat, lactose content is fairly constant in mature milk (after 21 days postpartum). The stable concentration of lactose is important in maintaining a constant osmotic pressure in human milk. Lactose also aids the absorption of minerals and calcium. In breast milk, many carbohydrate-based bioactive compounds, such oligosaccharides, are attached to lactose. If the small intestine does not produce enough of an enzyme (lactase) to digest these sugar complexes, lactose malabsorption and intolerance syndromes can be observed. Lactase deficiency malabsorption and disease are extremely rare in the exclusively breastfed infant.

Nutrients 2016, 8, 279 3 of 11

2.2. Protein in Human Breast Milk

There are two classes of protein in breast milk: Casein and whey. Casein becomes clots or curds in the stomach; while whey remains as a liquid and is easier to digest. Depending on the stage of milk, 80% to 50% of protein in breast milk is whey [11]. The whey/casein ratio in human milk fluctuates between 70/30 and 80/20 in early lactation and decreases to 50/50 in late lactation [15]. This proportion is significantly greater compared to the milk of other mammals. In cow’s milk, whey proteins represent only 18% of milk protein. Traditionally, infant formulas are high in casein, making them harder to digest compared to human breast milk. Because the amino acid profiles of casein and whey proteins are different, the overall amino acid profile of human milk varies depending on the stage of lactation. Glutamine, the most abundant free amino acid, is nearly 20 times higher in mature milk than its lowest value in colostrum [16]. Glutamine is important for providing ketoglutaric acid for the citric acid cycle, possibly acting as a neurotransmitter in the brain, and serving as a major energy substrate for intestinal cells [17].Composition of Human Breast Milk – Excerpt

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Composition of Human Breast Milk

Introduction

The composition of human breast milk changes over time and depends on how long it has been stored. As a mother, you may wonder if you can tell whether your breast milk is still good by looking at it or if you need to purchase special test strips. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer for storing breast milk in the refrigerator for later use, here’s what we do know:

Human milk is made up of the following components:

Water
Fat
Carbohydrates (lactose)
Protein (both whey and casein)

These are mixed together in a ratio called human milk fat content. It also contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes that help your baby to grow. The hormones produced by your body while breastfeeding stimulate breastmilk production by activating certain cells in your breasts so they can produce more milk for their baby.

Water

Water is the main component of breast milk. It makes up about 87% of your baby’s daily fluid intake, so it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll want to make sure that your baby has plenty of water when they’re breastfeeding.

The amount of water in breast milk changes depending on what stage your baby is at during their growth process. The wetter formula will be higher in fat and protein than the drier versions; while this may sound like a good thing, remember that these added nutrients can have an adverse effect on some babies’ digestion (which could lead them to develop diarrhea). The same thing goes for water content: If you’re breastfeeding after having given birth or had any surgery within six months before nursing began—or if you’re currently pregnant—you should avoid drinking too much alcohol during pregnancy because doing so could dehydrate both mother and child!

Fat

Fat is a source of energy for your baby, and it helps with brain development. Fat also helps with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as folic acid. It’s also an important source of essential fatty acids (including linoleic acid), which are important for healthy skin growth and hair growth in newborns.

The composition of human breast milk varies depending on several factors including age at discharge from hospital or birth center; length of breastfeeding prior to delivery; maternal lifestyle habits during pregnancy (such as smoking or drinking); type/quantity/amounts consumed by mother over time since beginning breastfeeding; whether formula feeding was ever attempted during pregnancy (if so–why did you stop?); how often were bottles offered during meals while bottle feeding vs breast feeding exclusively

Carbohydrates (lactose)

Carbohydrates are a major component of human breast milk, accounting for nearly half of its total volume. Carbohydrates are usually broken down into sugars (simple sugars) or starches (complex carbohydrates). Lactose is a disaccharide—a combination of two monosaccharides: glucose and galactose.

Lactose can be broken down by lactase, an enzyme that converts lactose into glucose and galactose molecules. This process is essential for humans because we cannot digest lactose on our own; it must be broken down by another enzyme before we can use it as energy in the body.

Protein (both whey and casein)

The major proteins in human milk are whey and casein, which are both found in varying amounts depending on the mother’s diet. Whey is a water-soluble protein while casein is fat-soluble.

The proportion of these two types varies from one woman to another but they both perform an important role in the development of your baby’s early health and growth.

Vitamins

Breast milk is an excellent source of vitamins, including:

Vitamin A – helps maintain healthy vision, skin and hair.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – helps convert food into energy; also necessary for the production of red blood cells, nerves and proteins.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – essential for metabolism and growth in children; also important for good eyesight.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) – improves brain function, supports cardiovascular health and helps boost immunity against viruses like influenza or measles by strengthening white blood cells that fight infection.* Pantothenic acid can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving cholesterol levels.*

Minerals

Calcium
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Sodium
Potassium

Enzymes

Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions. They’re found in all cells and tissues of the body, but they are especially important for digestion and metabolism. Enzymes also play a critical role in health: they help your body break down food into nutrients so that you can use them to build new tissue or repair damaged cells.

Enzymes are also essential for immune system function. A healthy immune system helps protect you against infections by destroying harmful pathogens (bacteria) before they can enter your body through mucus membranes such as those in your nose or throat; this process is known as “bacterial clearance” or “phagocytosis.” Breast milk contains many types of enzymes used by mothers during breastfeeding—including lactoferrin which has antifungal properties—to prevent infectious diseases from spreading between mother-child pairs

Hormones

You may have heard the term “hormone” before. This is because human breast milk contains hormones that help babies grow and develop, but also keep mothers healthy. Hormones are chemicals that act like signals to cells in our body. They influence how we look and act, but they don’t usually cause disease or harm us—they do just what they’re supposed to do!

White blood cells and antibodies (including secretory IgA), also referred to as immunoglobulins

White blood cells and antibodies (including secretory IgA), also referred to as immunoglobulins, are an important part of the immune system. A mother’s body produces antibodies that fight off infections. These antibodies are found in breast milk and help protect an infant from infections.

The composition of human breast milk changes over time, depending on how long it has been stored.

The composition of human breast milk changes with time, depending on how long it has been stored. It is important to know how long your breast milk has been stored before using it so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to use it.

Conclusion

Breast milk is an incredibly complex mixture of nutrients, enzymes, antibodies and hormones. The composition of human breast milk changes over time, depending on how long it has been stored. However, there are some general trends in terms of the different components:

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Composition of Human Breast Milk Excerpt