On the occasion of the World Breastfeeding Week that we are celebrating, the European free streaming platform ARTE.tv, has published the interesting report “Breast milk, a miraculous elixir”, where the benefits for human health are analyzed in depth of breast milk .
In the video, which we share below, we can see how, beyond its nutritional and health protective virtues, the scientific community is interested in its potential anti-cancer properties.
Breast milk, a magic potion
The documentary makes a thorough review of the benefits of breast milk , its wonderful composition and how it adapts to the needs of the baby at each stage of its growth.
But the most remarkable thing is the innumerable molecules that make up breast milk, many of which have not yet been discovered and that constitute an interesting potential for researchers, as they could provide important benefits that are unknown today.
At the moment, some of the known benefits of breastfeeding include:
- Gastrointestinal benefits.
- Reduces the rate of infection.
- Greater neurocognitive development of the breastfed baby.
- Breast milk lowers the risk of asthma and lung disease.
- Lower risk of allergies, diabetes and obesity.
- Breast milk contains molecules that are key to the composition of the bacterial flora of the intestine, which in turn is essential to preserve long-term health and prevent autoimmune and metabolic diseases.
- It predisposes the baby to accept new flavors when it begins with complementary feeding, since breast milk, unlike formula milk that always tastes and smells the same, changes depending on the mother’s diet.
But these benefits not only extend to the first months of the baby’s life, but could extend even decades, hence the importance of promoting breastfeeding for as long as possible.
And it is that breast milk is essential for the development and survival of the premature baby, in addition to protecting him against infections such as necrotizing enterocolitis, one of the most feared diseases and in which human milk plays an essential role.
For all this, and in the words of the biologist Thierry Hennet of the Physiological Institute of the University of Zurich, breast milk is considered a “magic potion”, because “if its protective factors could be extracted and added to a formula, there would be no talk of a food but a medicine “
Breast milk may also help treat cancer
But in addition to the benefits well known to all, the scientific community is also studying the important role that breast milk could play in the prevention and treatment of cancer .
This has been shown by various studies, which have found in one of its proteins a promising substance capable of killing tumor cells without damaging other tissues.
But it still takes time to advance research and begin human clinical studies.
A living fluid
One of the aspects that has always caught the attention of scientists is how milk changes its composition as the baby grows, adapting at all times to their needs.
During the first days, the mother produces colostrum to feed her newborn. This first milk is not nutritious, but it is key to the baby’s immune development.
Between the sixth and 15th day, the mother begins to produce transitional milk, rich in nutrients, carbohydrates and fats, which will give way to mature breast milk, from the third week of life.
But breast milk not only evolves with the age of the baby, but also with the time of day. Thus, it has been seen that milk in the morning contains stimulating substances, while that at the end of the day and at night contains relaxing and calming substances that help the child to develop their circadian rhythm.
Breast milk donor mothers are needed
Given the many possibilities that breast milk offers, it is important that mothers who are breastfeeding and want to help other babies are encouraged to donate milk at their referral hospital or authorized milk bank.
At the moment, donated milk is mainly intended to feed premature infants who cannot be fed with their mothers’ milk or sick babies who need it.
But taking into account the multiple uses that could be given to breast milk, if donations were to increase, scientists believe that it could also be used to help other children and adults intestinal diseases, infectious diseases, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, among other pathologies.
If you are a nursing mother and your baby’s breastfeeding is well established, you can donate milk at authorized sites. In this post we explained the requirements that you must meet to become a donor, and in this other the banks where you can go if you want to donate in Spain.
Via | ART.tv
In Babies and More | Breastfeeding could prevent 800 thousand infant deaths and 22 thousand deaths from breast cancer, Mothers also benefit from breastfeeding: seven advantages of breastfeeding your baby,
