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. 2023 Aug 25;15(17):3729.
doi: 10.3390/nu15173729.

Circadian Variation in Human Milk Hormones and Macronutrients

Majed A Suwaydi  1   2 , Ching Tat Lai  1 , Alethea Rea  3 , Zoya Gridneva  1 , Sharon L Perrella  1 , Mary E Wlodek  1   4 , Donna T Geddes  1
Affiliations

Circadian Variation in Human Milk Hormones and Macronutrients

Majed A Suwaydi et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

There is an inadequate understanding of the daily variations in hormones and macronutrients in human milk (HM), and sample collection protocols vary considerably from study to study. To investigate changes in these milk components across 24 h, 22 lactating women collected small milk samples before and after each breastfeed or expression from each breast. Test weighing was used to determine the volume of HM consumed in each feed. The concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, insulin, fat, and glucose were measured, and the intakes were calculated. A linear mixed model was fitted to assess within-feed and circadian variation in HM feed volume and concentration, and intakes of several components. The average infant intake of HM was 879 g/24 h. Significantly higher pre-feed concentrations were found for adiponectin and glucose and lower post-feed concentrations were found for insulin and fat. Significant circadian rhythms were displayed for leptin, adiponectin, insulin, glucose (both concentration and intake), fat concentration, and milk volume. These findings demonstrate the necessity for setting up standardised and rigorous sampling procedures that consider both within-feed and circadian variations in HM components to gain a more precise understanding of the impacts of these components on infant health, growth and development.

Keywords: adipokine; breastfeeding; circadian rhythm; diurnal rhythm; hormones; human milk; lactation; macronutrient.

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Conflict of interest statement

D.T.G. declares participation in the Scientific Advisory Board of Medela AG. M.A.S. receives a postgraduate scholarship from Jazan University. C.T.L., Z.G. and S.L.P. receives salary from an unrestricted research grant paid by Medela AG and administered by The University of Western Australia. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Changes in human milk feed volume (g) over a 24 h period. Coloured dots represent individual mother’s data with the corresponding coloured best-fit line; solid black line indicates the population average.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes in concentrations of human milk leptin, adiponectin, and insulin over a 24 h period. Average pre-feed sample concentration circadian rhythm is indicated by black dashed line. Average post-feed sample concentration circadian rhythm is indicated by black solid line. Individual mother’s concentrations and rhythms indicated by coloured dots and lines, respectively.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changes in concentrations of human milk fat and glucose over a 24 h period. Average pre-feed sample concentration circadian rhythm is indicated by black dashed line. Average post-feed sample concentration circadian rhythm is indicated by black solid line. Individual mother’s concentrations and rhythms indicated by coloured dots and lines, respectively.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Changes in intakes of human milk leptin, adiponectin, and insulin over a 24 h period. Average circadian rhythm is indicated by black lines. Individual component intakes and rhythms indicated by coloured dots and lines, respectively.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Changes in intakes of human milk fat and glucose over a 24 h period. Average circadian rhythm is indicated by black lines. Individual component intakes and rhythms indicated by coloured dots and lines, respectively.
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