Human milk : nutritional content and role in health and disease

"Mother's milk provides a wide variety of health benefits for infants, which is why breast feeding is highly recommended all over the world. This monograph provides details about the nutritional and bioactive properties of human milk, explaining the significance of this natural source of food. Chapter One describes how lactic acid bacteria present in human milk plays a critical role in establishing an immunocompetent microbiome in newborns, inducing multifarious health-promoting activities required to successfully initiate the life process. Chapter Two describes how the fatty acid profile of breastmilk varies according to the needs of the infant, particularly depending on the gestational age of the newborn, but also as a result of the mother's diet. Chapter Three summarizes the current literature on the composition of human milk and its life-course functional effects on health outcomes"-- Provided by publisher Contents 7 Preface 9 Chapter 1 13 Impressive Antimicrobial Potential of Human Milk: A Blessing for Nascent Life 13 Abstract 13 Introduction 14 Composition of Colostrum 18 Composition of Human Milk 20 Immunoglobulins 20 Secretory IgA 20 Enteric Protection 21 Respiratory Epithelium 23 Secretory IgM 23 IgG 23 Proteins 24 Changes in the Composition of Proteins in Human Milk during the First Months of Lactation 25 Colostrum 25 Transitional/Mature Milk 27 Biological Effects of Human Milk 28 κ-Casein 29 Haptocorrin 29 α-Lactalbumin 30 Immunoglobulins 32 Lactoferrin 32 Enzymes 34 Lysozyme 34 Lactoperoxidase 35 Lipase 35 Cytokines and Hormone 35 Bacterial Composition of Human Milk 37 Origin of Human Milk Bacteria 39 Impact of Human Milk Bacteria on Neonatal Gut Microbiota 40 Bacteria of the Genus Lactobacillus spp. 43 Potential Factors Influencing the Milk Microbiome 44 Beneficial Properties of Human Milk Bacteria 47 Antimicrobial Activity 49 Bacteriocins 51 Exopolysaccharides Production 54 Potential Strategies to Modulate the Maternal Breast-Milk Microbiota 57 New Advances in the Use of Proteins in Infant Formula 58 References 60 About the Author 80 Chapter 2 81 Fatty Acid Supply of Human Milk and Its Possible Health Effects 81 Abstract 81 Introduction 82 Fatty Acids 84 Fatty Acids and Neurodevelopment 87 Fatty Acid Changes during Lactation 89 Effect of Preterm Birth 93 Effect of Maternal Diet 97 Diet during Lactation 97 Potential Effect of Nationality 100 Conclusion 104 References 104 Chapter 3 121 Life-Course Health Impacts of the Nutritional Content of Human Milk in Different Steps of Lactation 121 Abstract 122 Introduction 122 Role of Nutritional Content of Human Milk in Health and Disease 124 Human Milk Oligosaccharides 125 Human Milk Fat 126 Human Milk Microbiota 127 Human Milk Proteins 128 Human Milk Hormones 129 Differences in Milk Contents During Lactation 130 Conclusion 131 References 131 Index 139 Blank Page 2 Blank Page 145