Literature Review

1) Maternal health conditions such as obesity and diabetes are associated with measurable differences in breast milk cytokine profiles, which can influence infant immune development and metabolism.

Key findings from the literature:

·     Higher pro-inflammatory cytokines: mothers with obesity or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) often have elevated levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8 in breast milk compared to healthy-weight mothers

·     Lower anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL10, a key to tolerance development and the avoidance of allergic/immune based diseases

·     In gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), breast milk can have altered levels of adipokines (e.g., leptin, adiponectin) along with cytokine changes. This altered inflammatory metabolic environment may influence infant growth patterns and immune programming. This is a key, in my mind to the autism epidemic

·     Even after delivery, women with pre-pregnancy obesity or GDM can show prolonged differences in breast milk cytokines for weeks to months postpartum

·     Elevated pro-inflammatory milk cytokines may influence the infant’s gut immune environment, inflammation set point, and possibly risk for obesity or allergic disease later in life though long-term outcome data remain limited

Isganaitis Amer J Clin Nutr

Saben Amer J Clin Nutr

Enstad EJCN

Dumke de Siqueira Clin Nutr ESPEN

Dr. M

McClune Science