Day/Night Breast Milk Microbiome Changes
Human breast milk is a sophisticated and complex biological fluid that provides crucial nutritional, immunological, and microbial benefits to infants. Hormones exhibit circadian variations in maternal serum, and understanding these fluctuations in breast milk is crucial for assessing infant maturation. This is particularly relevant when expressed breast milk is fed at a different time from when it was originally produced. This study examined 24-hour variations in breast milk composition by analyzing samples from 38 lactating mothers at four distinct times of the day. Levels of cortisol, melatonin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), lactoferrin, and oxytocin were quantified using ELISA, and microbiome composition was assessed through 16S rRNA sequencing.