Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Milk, Human

Human milk is the species-specific biological fluid secreted by the mammary glands of lactating women, serving as the primary source of nutrition for the human infant. Its composition is dynamic, shifting from colostrum to mature milk and changing across a single feed and over the course of lactation to match the de…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 70× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2644-0105

Overview

Human milk is the species-specific biological fluid secreted by the mammary glands of lactating women, serving as the primary source of nutrition for the human infant. Its composition is dynamic, shifting from colostrum to mature milk and changing across a single feed and over the course of lactation to match the developing infant's needs. The macronutrient fraction comprises lactose, milk proteins such as casein and whey, and lipids that supply the majority of energy, while micronutrients, hormones, growth factors, immunoglobulins, and oligosaccharides confer immunological and developmental benefits. Research on human milk spans the determinants of its macronutrient integrity, including the influence of expression practices and storage containers on nutrient stability, and the operation of human milk banks that collect, screen, and distribute donor milk for infants who cannot receive their mother's own. Maternal factors, health beliefs, and awareness of milk composition shape breastfeeding behavior and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Allied work examines bioactive constituents and contaminants, the transfer of compounds such as melatonin, and the potential of milk-borne microRNA, situating human milk within broader questions of perinatal nutrition, infant immunity, and public health.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2015

Epigenetics and Nutrition

Kenneth LundstromCorresponding author
Exact topic International Journal of Nutrition Cited by 2 doi:10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-14-603

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 70 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Nov 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Milk, Human, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Journal of Breastfeeding Biology (ISSN 2644-0105).

Journal editorial board
Ann Anderson Berry · United States Gail Christopher · United States

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.