Biomolecules present in human milk inhibit inflammatory processes – demonstrated scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the United States.
It has long been known that breast milk, containing nutrients and antibodies, plays an important role in the development of infants.
Milk contains SPM biomolecules that help fight infection and inflammation, heal wounds and relieve pain, according to a new study by scientists at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Mucosal Immunology.
Some of these biomolecules had previously been detected in human organs and tissues, but finding them all in one place was a big surprise for the authors of the study.
Subsequent studies have shown that milk SPM levels are significantly lower in women with mastitis. They were not found in cow’s milk or infant formula at all. Further work should help understand the role of SPM in infancy, but results so far highlight the importance of natural breastfeeding.