Breast milk contains more than 700 species of bacteria, Spanish researchers find

[adreno]

Better than FMT?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130104083103.htm

 

[Beyond]

Gimme some of that.

No, seriously, we might want to check if some super-healthy mother wants to sell her milk.

Or stay vigilant for VERY generous pregnant relatives...

 

[adreno]

It also looks like human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are vastly superior prebiotics, compared to other popular choices for infant formulas, such as FOS or GOS:

Some may think that GOS, FOS, inulin, or HMO simply pass the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract without any effects until they reach more distal parts of the ileum and the colon where they are metabolized by certain (desired) bacteria, producing short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that then affect the host through several different mechanisms. Because all of these oligosaccharides are degraded to SCFA in the end, their effects may very well be the same—It is most likely not as simple as that (Fig. 2). The intact oligosaccharides may have direct effects that highly depend on their distinct structures; and GOS, FOS, or inulin are structurally very different from the oligosaccharides that naturally occur in human milk (Fig. 1). Many bacteria, for example, express lectins that bind to specific glycans on the host's epithelial cell surface. This initial adhesion is essential for the virulence of most pathogenic microorganisms. Some HMO structurally resemble epithelial cell surface glycans and block pathogen adhesion, which protects the breast-fed infant from certain infections and diarrhea (17). GOS, FOS, or inulin may not be able to mimic these protective effects because most of them do not resemble epithelial cell surface glycans.

There is also first in vitro evidence that HMO may alter intestinal epithelial gene expression and cell surface glycome composition (18), as well as cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis—at least at very high concentrations (19). Although the underlying mechanisms, receptors and signaling pathways are currently unknown, it can be speculated that these effects are also mediated through epithelial cell surface lectins. Again, GOS, FOS, or inulin may not be recognized by these lectins or bind to other lectins that trigger a different cell response.

http://www.nature.com/pr/journal/v64/n1/full/pr2008136a.html

 

[panckage]

Hmm gonna have to find me a pregnant hot tea and do some experimenting haha

 

[whodathunkit]

The next growth industry. No pun intended.

 

[adreno]

I wonder if it's the HMO that ensures the bacteria actually colonize, rather than just pass thru, as is common with probiotics.

 

[invisiblejungle]

Not only can you buy breast milk online, but from skimming this website, it seems that some women even offer it "straight from the source."

http://www.onlythebreast.com/

(Make sure they're grass-fed!)

 

[JPV]

Mother's Milk Cooperative

 

[JPV]

May be considered NSFW...