LLLI Center for Breastfeeding Information

Journal Abstract of the Month for June 2003

"Effect of Human Breast Milk on Urinary 8-Hydroxy-2'Deoxyguanosine Excretion in Infants." Pediatric Research 2003;53(5):850-52

Breastmilk contains many antioxidants: catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate, vitamin E, etc. During the perinatal period, oxidative stress is intimately involved in pathologic processes of serious diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis, chronic lung disease, retinopathy of prematurity and intraventricular hemorrhage. In this study, oxidative stress levels were compared in 41 healthy one-month old infants by measuring free radical damage to DNA. The infants were divided into four different feeding group categories: Group 1 received more than 90% of their diet as breast milk, Group 2 was breast milk dominant, receiving 50-90% of their diet as breast milk, Group 3, artificial milk was the dominant food at 50-90% intake and group 4, was the formula fed group, receiving over 90% of their intake as formula.

Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine is produced by oxidative damage to the nucleoside deoxyguanosine and is excreted into urine. The excretion of this product in the breast-fed group was significantly lower than those of the artificial milk dominant mixed-fed group or the bottle-fed group, in fact appeared to correlate with the percentage of formula intake. This research indicates that breast milk acts as an antioxidant during infancy and that breast-fed infants have reduced oxidative DNA damage. Artificial infant formulas are deficient in antioxidants.

Definition: "Antioxidant: An agent that inhibits oxidation and thus prevents rancidity of oils or fats or the deterioration of other materials through oxidative processes" Stedman's Medical Dictionary 25th Ed.

This article will be categorized in the CBI Database in the following subject categories: HM: Immune Properties, Antioxidants, Prematures, NEC, HM: Enzymes, Formula Concerns, Physiology