• Nutrition
breastfeeding mom and baby

HUMAN MILK OLIGOSACCHARIDES

Breast milk contains protective immune factors, including human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), that help build the infant's developing immune system.1-3

HMOs are:
  • Non-digestible carbohydrates4
  • The third largest solid component of breast milk4
infant

HMOs IN BREAST MILK SUPPORT THE INFANT’S DEVELOPING IMMUNE SYSTEM

  • Promote a healthy microbiota5-8
  • Prevent the adhesion of pathogens9.10
  • Modulate the immune response8,11-16

2’-FUCOSYLLACTOSE (2’-FL) is the most abundant HMO, secreted in the milk of 75-80% of mothers.17,18

Similac Pro-Advance

COMPARED TO INFANTS FED CONTROL FORMULA WITHOUT 2’-FL†, INFANTS FED SIMILAC® WITH 2’-FL† HAD:

  • Reduced levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines19
  • Significantly fewer respiratory infections20,21‡
  • Lower reports of eczema21
  • Less parent-reported antibiotic use22
  • † Not derived from human milk; identical structure to 2’-FL found in breast milk.
  • ‡ Post-hoc analysis of parent-reported, doctor-assessed adverse events.

  • References:

  • Field CJ. The immunological components of human milk and their effect on immune development in infants. J Nutr 2005;135(1):1-4.
  • Iyengar SR, Walker WA. Immune factors in breast milk and the development of atopic disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2012;55(6):641-7.
  • Gregory KE, Walker WA. Immunologic Factors in Human Milk and Disease Prevention in the Preterm Infant. Curr Pediatr Rep 2013;1(4):10.
  • Zivkovic AM, German JB, Lebrilla CB et al. PNAS 2011;108(Suppl. 1):4653-8.
  • Castanys-Munoz E, Martin MJ, Vazquez E. Adv Nutr 2016;7(2):323-30.
  • Marcobal A, Barboza M, Froehlich JW et al. J Agr Food Chem 2010;58(9):5334-40.
  • Bode L. Nutr Rev 2009;67(Suppl. 2):S183-91.
  • Jantscher-Krenn E, Bode L. Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Role in Infant Health. Nutrition in Infancy (9781627032230) [Internet]. 2013 Jan [cited 2020 Mar 18];209. Available from: http://search.ebscohost.com.ez03.infotrieve.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=93943118&site=eds-live&scope=site.
  • Engfer MB, Stahl B, Finke B et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71(6):1589-96.
  • Forchielli ML, Walker WA. Br J Nutr 2005;93(Suppl. 1):S41-8.
  • Weichert S, Jennewein S, Hufner E et al. Nutr Res Oct 2013;33(10):831-8.
  • He Y, Lawlor NT, Newburg DS. Adv Nutr 2016;7(1):102-11.
  • He Y, Liu S, Kling DE et al. Gut 2016;65(1):33-46.
  • Wickramasinghe S, Pacheco AR, Lemay DG, Mills DA. BMC Microbiol 2015;15:172.
  • Kulinich A, Liu L. Carbohydr Res 2016;432:62-70.
  • Duska-McEwen G, Senft AP, Ruetschilling TL, Barrett EG, Buck RH. Food Nutr Sci 2014;5(14):1387-98.
  • Castanys-Munoz E, Martin MJ, Prieto PA. Nutr Rev 2013;71(12):773-89.
  • Lewis ZT, Totten SM, Smilowitz JT et al. Microbiome 2015;3:13.
  • Goehring KC, Marriage BJ, Oliver JS et al. J Nutr 2016;146(12):2559–66.
  • Marriage BJ, Buck RH, Goehring KC et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2015;61(6):649-58.
  • Reverri EJ, Devitt AA, Kajzer JA et al. Nutrients 2018 Sep 21;10(10):1346. doi: 10.3390/nu10101346.
  • SA01. Data on file. September 2018. Abbott Nutrition, Columbus, Ohio.
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