A Comprehensive Review of Breast Milk Microbiome: Its Impact on Infant Health and Disease Management

Abstract

The breast milk microbiome has emerged as an essential determinant of infant health, influencing gut microbiota composition, immune system development, and overall regulation of physiological maturation. This review focuses on a comprehensive analysis of breast milk microbiota and its contributions in shaping infant health. Additionally, the potential of probiotics in establishing a microbial equilibrium to improve gut microbiota and immunity in both preterm and full-term infants is discussed in detail. The first encounter with probiotics in the human body occurs during infancy through breast milk. Complete breastfeeding stimulates the growth and development of beneficial probiotics such as Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Bifidobacterium which play crucial roles in preventing conditions such as allergies, microbial infections, gastric and intestinal infections, urinary tract infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, and dermal infections. Most of these probiotics act as bacterial inhibitors by reducing pH levels, whereas some have specific cells that trigger immune cells to reduce infections. Thus, probiotics offer promising therapeutic effects for regulating overall infant health. This review emphasizes the importance of probiotic-based interventions in optimizing infant health outcomes.