Breast Milk, a Source of Beneficial Microbes and Associated Benefits for Infant Health.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without systematic search methodology
PubMed 32283875 · doi:10.3390/nu12041039
What was done
This narrative review synthesizes published literature on mammary gland development during lactation, the composition and potential sources of the human breast milk microbiome (specifically the entero-mammary transfer pathway), and the isolation of milk-derived bacterial strains for use as infant probiotics.
What was found
The abstract presents no quantitative data or numerical outcomes. It reports qualitative concepts: breast milk contains a distinct, non-contaminant microbiome that helps prevent pathogen adhesion and supports beneficial infant gut colonization, with maternal gut-to-mammary transfer serving as a proposed origin mechanism for these commensal bacteria.
Why it matters
Synthesizes the biological understanding of breast milk as an active source of commensal microbes rather than a sterile fluid, supporting the exploration of milk-derived bacterial strains as potential probiotics for infant nutrition.
Limits
As a narrative review, it does not employ systematic review methods, predefined study selection criteria, or quantitative meta-analyses. The abstract provides no specific sample sizes, strain-specific effect sizes, or comparative clinical trial data.
Cited by
- supports Breastfeeding provides an infant with probiotics and half of the mother's immune system.