Abstract
Human milk is the gold standard for nutrition during the first months of life, but when breastfeeding is not possible, it may be replaced by infant formulas, either partially or totally. Polyamines, which play an important role in intestinal maturation and the development of the immune system, are found both in human milk and infant formulas, the first exogenous source of these compounds for the newborn. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and evolution of polyamines in human milk during the first semester of lactation and to compare the polyamine content with that of infant formulas. In total, 30 samples of human milk provided by six mothers during the first five months of lactation as well as 15 different types of infant formulas were analyzed using UHPLC-FL. Polyamines were detected in all human milk samples but with great variation among mothers. Spermidine and spermine levels tended to decrease during the lactation period, while putrescine remained practically unchanged. Considerable differences were observed in the polyamine contents and profiles between human milk and infant formulas, with concentrations being up to 30 times lower in the latter. The predominant polyamines in human milk were spermidine and spermine, and putrescine in infant formulas.
Highlights
Human milk is the gold standard for human nutrition for at least the first six months of life since it satisfies all the requirements for infants to achieve optimal growth and development [1,2,3]
Human milk is the gold standard for nutrition during the first months of life, but when breastfeeding is not possible, it may be replaced by infant formulas, either partially or totally
Human milk is relatively rich in polyamines, including putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, which are synthesized in the mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation and are reported to play a role in the hormonal regulation of lactogenic processes [6]
Summary
Human milk is the gold standard for human nutrition for at least the first six months of life since it satisfies all the requirements for infants to achieve optimal growth and development [1,2,3]. Infant formulas are classified into two groups: those that are based on cow’s milk, including first formulas (those that satisfy the infant’s nutritional requirements during the first semester of life; EU 609/2013) and follow-on formulas (aimed at infants of about 4–6 months of age who have commenced complementary feeding; EU 609/2013), and formulas for special medical use (aimed at infants with digestion, absorption, or intolerance problems, or those who do not consume animal products for religious or other reasons) [18,20,21]. Polyamines participate in several biological processes, mainly cell growth and differentiation and protein synthesis [24,25] Their role in the first years of life, in both the neonatal and infant stages, is important, as they promote the maturation of the gastrointestinal tract and help to maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosa [26,27,28]. The polyamine contents of different types of infant formulas retailed in Spain were determined and compared to that of human milk
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