Scientists identify which components of breast milk are influenced by maternal diet
22:38 11 October, 2026Breast milk not only reflects a mother's diet but is also regulated by complex biological processes involving the mammary gland and infant growth. This is the conclusion of two international studies published in the journal Science.
The studies involved more than 1,000 mother-infant pairs from Canada, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and Pakistan. Researchers collected nearly 2,000 breast milk samples and analyzed more than 25,000 compounds to determine how a woman's diet and biological processes during lactation influence milk composition.
Both studies were conducted by the International Milk Composition consortium, led by the University of Manitoba. The research was funded by the Gates Foundation.
The first study found that some components of breast milk change in response to maternal dietary supplementation. In particular, the researchers identified changes in levels of B vitamins and selenium, as well as in the composition of triglycerides — fats that serve as one source of energy. Other components, however, remained relatively stable.
According to the study's lead author, Trenton Dailey-Chwalibóg of Ghent University and the AFRICSanté research center in Burkina Faso, these findings make it possible to identify more precisely which nutrients can be increased in breast milk through targeted changes to the mother's diet.
This approach could be particularly beneficial in regions where maternal undernutrition is widespread. However, the effects of changes in breast milk composition on children's health and development still require further investigation.
The second study focused on the mammary gland and its relationship with infant growth. Researchers identified patterns in milk composition that reflect various biological processes, including milk production and secretion, the condition of the gland's protective cellular barrier, tissue renewal, immune activity, and tissue repair.
According to the study's senior author, Liat Shenhav of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, analyzing breast milk provides a non-invasive way to study biological processes in the mammary gland. This could help researchers better understand the relationship between maternal metabolism and infant growth.