scholarly journals Breast Milk Lipids and Fatty Acids in Regulating Neonatal Intestinal Development and Protecting against Intestinal Injury

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 534 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Ramiro-Cortijo ◽  
Pratibha Singh ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
Esli Medina-Morales ◽  
William Yakah ◽  
...  

Human breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for infant growth and development. Breast milk fats and their downstream derivatives of fatty acids and fatty acid-derived terminal mediators not only provide an energy source but also are important regulators of development, immune function, and metabolism. The composition of the lipids and fatty acids determines the nutritional and physicochemical properties of human milk fat. Essential fatty acids, including long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and specialized pro-resolving mediators, are critical for growth, organogenesis, and regulation of inflammation. Combined data including in vitro, in vivo, and human cohort studies support the beneficial effects of human breast milk in intestinal development and in reducing the risk of intestinal injury. Human milk has been shown to reduce the occurrence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a common gastrointestinal disease in preterm infants. Preterm infants fed human breast milk are less likely to develop NEC compared to preterm infants receiving infant formula. Intestinal development and its physiological functions are highly adaptive to changes in nutritional status influencing the susceptibility towards intestinal injury in response to pathological challenges. In this review, we focus on lipids and fatty acids present in breast milk and their impact on neonatal gut development and the risk of disease.

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. e053400
Author(s):  
Georg Bach Jensen ◽  
Fredrik Ahlsson ◽  
Magnus Domellöf ◽  
Anders Elfvin ◽  
Lars Naver ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe mortality rate of extremely low gestational age (ELGA) (born <gestational week 28+0) infants remains high, and severe infections and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) are common causes of death. Preterm infants receiving human milk have lower incidence of sepsis and NEC than those fed a bovine milk-based preterm formula. Despite this, fully human milk fed ELGA infants most often have a significant intake of cow’s milk protein from bovine-based protein fortifier. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the supplementation of human milk-based, as compared with bovine-based, nutrient fortifier reduces the prevalence of NEC, sepsis and mortality in ELGA infants exclusively fed with human milk.Methods and analysisA randomised-controlled multicentre trial comparing the effect of a human breast milk-based fortifier with a standard bovine protein-based fortifier in 222–322 ELGA infants fed human breast milk (mother’s own milk and/or donor milk). The infants will be randomised to either fortifier before reaching 100 mL/kg/day in oral feeds. The intervention, stratified by centre, will continue until the target postmenstrual week 34+0. The primary outcome is a composite of NEC, sepsis or death. Infants are characterised with comprehensive clinical and nutritional data collected prospectively from birth until hospital discharge. Stool, urine, blood and breast milk samples are collected for analyses in order to study underlying mechanisms. A follow-up focusing on neurological development and growth will be performed at 2 and 5.5 years of age. Health economic analyses will be made.Ethics and disseminationThe study is conducted according to ICH/GCP guidelines and is approved by the regional ethical review board in Linköping Sweden (Dnr 2018/193-31, Dnr 2018/384-32). Results will be presented at scientific meetings and published in peer-reviewed publications.Trial registration numberThe study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03797157, 9 January 2019.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7014
Author(s):  
Joanna Bryś ◽  
Agata Górska ◽  
Ewa Ostrowska-Ligęza ◽  
Magdalena Wirkowska-Wojdyła ◽  
Andrzej Bryś ◽  
...  

This paper discusses our attempt to generate substitutes for human breast milk fat through the interesterification of mixtures composed of lard and hemp (Cannabis sativa) seed oil. The interesterification was run at 60 °C for 2, 4, and 6 h in the presence of Lipozyme RM IM preparation containing a lipase specific for the cleavage of sn-1,3 ester bonds in triacylglycerol molecules. The interesterification products were analyzed regarding their fatty acid composition and distribution in triacylglycerol molecules. In order to assess the quality of the generated substitutes, in the interesterification products the following were determined: acid value, peroxide number, and oxidative stability. The collected data were statistically processed using Tukey’s test. Following the interesterification, the fats revealed an elevated percentage of free fatty acids and primary oxidation products and reduced oxidative stability compared to those of lard. The last of the above-mentioned phenomena could have been due to the incorporation of polyenic fatty acids into the external positions of triacyclglycerols of lard. The interesterification of lard and hemp seed oil allows scientists to acquire substitutes rich in essential fatty acids and similar to human breast milk fat with respect to the distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerol molecules.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 785-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Özgül Bulut ◽  
Asuman Çoban ◽  
Zeynep İnce

Abstract Background Human milk is the optimal source of nutrition for preterm infants. However, breast milk alone is often not sufficient to satisfy the high nutritional needs for growth and development in preterm infants. Fortified human breast milk is the best way to meet the nutritional needs of preterm infants. Human breast milk is fortified according to the estimated nutrient content of mature breast milk; however, because the content of breast milk is highly variable, the macronutrient support may be more or less than needed. The goal of this study was to analyze the macronutrient content of preterm human milk during the first 6 weeks of lactation. Methods The study included 32 mothers of preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks. Breast milk was collected in 24-h cycles and analyzed daily using mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. We measured protein, fat and lactose concentrations in the breast milk, and the energy content was calculated. Results The protein content was high during the first weeks of lactation, but decreased as lactation progressed. The fat, energy and lactose contents of the breast milk were low during the first 2 weeks of lactation, increased as lactation progressed and remained constant thereafter. In women with high body mass index (BMI), higher protein levels were found in transitional milk. In women who had high income level, higher fat and energy levels were found in transitional milk. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the macronutrient content of preterm breast milk changes throughout the course of lactation, with BMI and income level. Knowledge of the macronutrient composition of breast milk is necessary to ensure that preterm infants receive the appropriate types and quantities of nutrients to promote optimal growth, and to ensure that breast milk is fortified according to individual needs. Our findings may be useful for the provision of optimal nutritional support for preterm infants.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 2910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michela Codini ◽  
Carmela Tringaniello ◽  
Lina Cossignani ◽  
Antonio Boccuto ◽  
Alessandra Mirarchi ◽  
...  

The fatty acid composition of human breast milk is relevant for the energy, immunity and eicosanoid production in infants. Additionally, the antioxidant properties of foods are essential for human health. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal diet and fatty acids composition as well as the antioxidant potential of breast milk from donors to human milk bank of Perugia’s hospital, Italy. Results were compared with infant formulas. We observed increased levels of total fatty acids and, in particular, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in milk from mothers fed on a vegetable and fruit-rich diet compared with a Mediterranean diet. In the same milk, a reduced antioxidant potential was found. All infant formulas resulted in richer total fatty acid content than human breast milk. Only some formulas were qualitatively similar to breast milk. Of note, the antioxidant potential of the formulas was higher or lower than the human milk with the exception of one sample. The antioxidant potential of four formulas was very high. Dietary supplementation with antioxidants has been shown to have a teratogenic effect and to increase the formation of metastases in adult. There are no data on the effects of excess antioxidants in the infants, but the possibility that they can be harmful cannot be excluded.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-444
Author(s):  
Patrick S. Clyne ◽  
Anthony Kulczycki

Previous studies have suggested that an unidentified cow's milk protein, other than β-lactoglobulin and casein, might play a pathogenetic role in infant colic. Therefore, a radioimmunoassay was used to analyze human breast milk and infant formula samples for the presence of bovine IgG. Milk samples from 88 of the 97 mothers tested contained greater than 0.1 µg/mL of bovine IgG. In a study group of 59 mothers with infants in the colic-prone 2- to 17-week age group, the 29 mothers of colicky infants had higher levels of bovine IgG in their breast milk (median 0.42 µg/mL) than the 30 mothers of noncolicky infants (median 0.32 µg/mL) (P &lt; .02). The highest concentrations of bovine IgG observed in human milk were 8.5 and 8.2 µg/mL. Most cow's milk-based infant formulas contained 0.6 to 6.4 µg/mL of bovine IgG, a concentration comparable with levels found in many human milk samples. The results suggest that appreciable quantities of bovine IgG are commonly present in human milk, that significantly higher levels are present in milk from mothers of colicky infants, and that bovine IgG may possibly be involved in the pathogenesis of infant colic.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1747-1754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Jie ◽  
Ce Qi ◽  
Jin Sun ◽  
Renqiang Yu ◽  
Xiangyu Wang ◽  
...  

The main BCFAs in preterm breast milk were iso-14:0, iso-15:0, anteiso-15:0, iso-16:0, iso-17:0, and anteiso-17:0, which were low than that in term breast milk. They were mainly located in the sn-2 position of TAGs and concentration in colostrum.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katríona E. Lyons ◽  
C. Anthony Ryan ◽  
Eugene M. Dempsey ◽  
R. Paul Ross ◽  
Catherine Stanton

Human breast milk is considered the optimum feeding regime for newborn infants due to its ability to provide complete nutrition and many bioactive health factors. Breast feeding is associated with improved infant health and immune development, less incidences of gastrointestinal disease and lower mortality rates than formula fed infants. As well as providing fundamental nutrients to the growing infant, breast milk is a source of commensal bacteria which further enhance infant health by preventing pathogen adhesion and promoting gut colonisation of beneficial microbes. While breast milk was initially considered a sterile fluid and microbes isolated were considered contaminants, it is now widely accepted that breast milk is home to its own unique microbiome. The origins of bacteria in breast milk have been subject to much debate, however, the possibility of an entero-mammary pathway allowing for transfer of microbes from maternal gut to the mammary gland is one potential pathway. Human milk derived strains can be regarded as potential probiotics; therefore, many studies have focused on isolating strains from milk for subsequent use in infant health and nutrition markets. This review aims to discuss mammary gland development in preparation for lactation as well as explore the microbial composition and origins of the human milk microbiota with a focus on probiotic development.


Author(s):  
Patrick C K Tam ◽  
Kathleen M Ly ◽  
Max L Kernich ◽  
Nicola Spurrier ◽  
Diana Lawrence ◽  
...  

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus and causative pathogen to the pandemic illness COVID-19. Although RNA has been detected in various clinical samples, no reports to date have documented SARS-CoV-2 in human milk. This case report describes an actively breastfeeding patient with COVID-19 infection with detectable viral RNA in human milk.


Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candice Quin ◽  
Deanna L. Gibson

Human milk is the best nutritional choice for infants. However, in instances where breastfeeding is not possible, infant formulas are used as alternatives. While formula manufacturers attempt to mimic the performance of human breast milk, formula-fed babies consistently have higher incidences of infection from diarrheal diseases than those breastfed. Differences in disease susceptibility, progression and severity can be attributed, in part, to nutritional fatty acid differences between breast milk and formula. Despite advances in our understanding of breast milk properties, formulas still present major differences in their fatty acid composition when compared to human breast milk. In this review, we highlight the role of distinct types of dietary fatty acids in modulating host inflammation, both directly and through the microbiome-immune nexus. We present evidence that dietary fatty acids influence enteric disease susceptibility and therefore, altering the fatty acid composition in formula may be a potential strategy to improve infectious outcomes in formula-fed infants.


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