Human milk composition: nutrients and bioactive factors.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Ballard O
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3586783 | biostudies-other | 2013 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Human milk composition: nutrients and bioactive factors.
Ballard Olivia O Morrow Ardythe L AL
Pediatric clinics of North America 20130201 1
This article provides an overview of the composition of human milk, its variation, and its clinical relevance. The composition of human milk is the biological norm for infant nutrition. Human milk also contains many hundreds to thousands of distinct bioactive molecules that protect against infection and inflammation and contribute to immune maturation, organ development, and healthy microbial colonization. Some of these molecules (eg, lactoferrin) are being investigated as novel therapeutic agen ...[more]
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