» Articles » PMID: 29846526

Overview of Nutrients in Human Milk

Overview
Journal Adv Nutr
Publisher Elsevier
Date 2018 May 31
PMID 29846526
Citations 132
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 mo of life to promote optimal infant health and development. Understanding the micro- and macronutrient concentrations of human milk and how each nutrient fluctuates with lactational stage, maternal factors, and supplementation is imperative for supporting good breastfeeding practices. Where maternal undernutrition compromises human milk quality, a thorough awareness of the effectiveness of interventions can direct efforts to achieve both maternal and infant nutrient sufficiency. This review of current knowledge covers trends in nutrient concentrations over the course of lactation and describes the influence of maternal intake, status, supplementation, and other factors on human milk concentrations of each nutrient.

Citing Articles

Human Milk Microbiota Across Lactation Stages and Free Glutamate Concentrations in Healthy Ecuadorian Women.

Baldeon M, Cardenas P, Arevalo V, Prado-Vivar B, Uchimiya M, Pena L Nutrients. 2025; 17(5).

PMID: 40077676 PMC: 11902271. DOI: 10.3390/nu17050805.


Nutrient Intake Among Lactating Women With Overweight and Obesity in Norway: A Comparison With the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Fossli M, Ohman E, Andal M, Loland B, Holven K, Brekke H J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025; 38(1):e70000.

PMID: 39763277 PMC: 11704453. DOI: 10.1111/jhn.70000.


Absolute quantification of eight human milk oligosaccharides in breast milk to evaluate their concentration profiles and associations with infants' neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Sato K, Nakamura Y, Fujiyama K, Ohneda K, Nobukuni T, Ogishima S J Food Sci. 2024; 89(12):10152-10170.

PMID: 39656795 PMC: 11673463. DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.17597.


"OMICS" in Human Milk: Focus on Biological Effects on Bone Homeostasis.

Farella I, DAmato G, Orellana-Manzano A, Segura Y, Vitale R, Clodoveo M Nutrients. 2024; 16(22).

PMID: 39599707 PMC: 11597255. DOI: 10.3390/nu16223921.


Sociodemographic and Psychological Factors Influencing Human Milk Donation: A Cross-Sectional Study of 420 Lactating Mothers in Vijayapura.

Bodi Jayakrishna V, Patil S, Patil M Cureus. 2024; 16(10):e71963.

PMID: 39569265 PMC: 11578615. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71963.


References
1.
West A, Yan J, Perry C, Jiang X, Malysheva O, Caudill M . Folate-status response to a controlled folate intake in nonpregnant, pregnant, and lactating women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012; 96(4):789-800. DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.112.037523. View

2.
Kumar H, du Toit E, Kulkarni A, Aakko J, Linderborg K, Zhang Y . Distinct Patterns in Human Milk Microbiota and Fatty Acid Profiles Across Specific Geographic Locations. Front Microbiol. 2016; 7:1619. PMC: 5061857. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01619. View

3.
Forsum E, Lonnerdal B . Effect of protein intake on protein and nitrogen composition of breast milk. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980; 33(8):1809-13. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/33.8.1809. View

4.
Johnson L, FORD H, Doran J, Richardson V . A survey of the iodide concentration of human milk. N Z Med J. 1990; 103(896):393-4. View

5.
Ozarda Y, Cansev M, Ulus I . Breast milk choline contents are associated with inflammatory status of breastfeeding women. J Hum Lact. 2013; 30(2):161-6. DOI: 10.1177/0890334413508004. View