Alcohol impacts quality and quantity of breast milk

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Alcohol impacts quality and quantity of breast milk

 

 

4/7/2005 - Alcohol consumption impacts the quality and quantity of

breast milk, say researchers, exploding age-old claims that a few

drinks can improve their nursing performance.

 

 

Scientists at Monell Chemical Senses Center in the US report that even

moderate doses of alcohol will impact the hormones responsible for

lactation in a counterproductive manner.

 

Their findings run up against recent surveys that indicate 25 per cent

of women report being encouraged by their health professionals to

drink alcohol while breastfeeding.

 

" There was no valid scientific evidence to support this claim, " says

lead author Julie Mennella.

 

The role of alcohol in society, and its impact on a nation's health,

continues to be the focus of ongoing research.

 

A string of recent studies, for example, suggest that the powerful

antioxidant resveratrol found in red wine, could protect against blood

clots and possibly high cholesterol levels - both associated with

heart conditions.

 

Targeting this burgeoning market, the food industry continues to roll

out food and beverage products designed to tackle heart health. Set to

grow 7.6 per cent in the UK market alone, according to Datamonitor,

these products are slated to achieve sales of £145 million in the UK

by 2007.

 

But this latest small study on breastfeeding mothers finds that

alcohol disrupts the hormonal milieu of lactation " in a way that could

impede successful breastfeeding. "

 

For the research 17 women, nursing infants between 2 and 4 months of

age, each drank a beverage containing alcohol in orange juice on one

day and plain orange juice on a different day.

 

The dose of alcohol was equivalent to that found in one to two glasses

of wine.

 

Blood samples taken throughout the procedure were analyzed for

oxytocin and prolactin, the two key hormones that control lactation.

 

Alcohol disrupted release of both hormones during lactation: oxytocin

levels decreased on average by a considerable 78 per cent, and

prolactin levels increased by a massive 336 per cent, compared to when

women consumed plain orange juice.

 

" Under normal breastfeeding conditions, oxytocin and prolactin usually

behave in tandem… but following alcohol consumption we saw divergent

responses in these two key hormones that control lactation, " comments

co-author Yanina Pepino.

 

Seeking to calm mothers, the researchers add that a lactating woman

who drinks occasionally can wait a few hours after she stops drinking

to breastfeed so that her infant is not exposed to the alcohol in her

milk.

 

Full findings are published in the April issue of The Journal of

Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.