Title: Systematic review of the concentrations of oligosaccharides in human milk
| Authors: | Stephan Thurl, Manfred Munzert, Günther Boehm, Catherine Matthews, Bernd Stahl |
| Published: | 2017 |
| Journal: | Nutrition Reviews |
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS) are the third largest solid component in human milk and represent approximately 20% of its total carbohydrate content. HMOS are thought to have numerous beneficial functions in infants, including protection against infectious diseases. Approximately 150 oligosaccharides have been elucidated in human milk so far, with many more also present, at least in small quantities. Data on the concentrations of oligosaccharides in human milk are a prerequisite for understanding the biological functions of HMOS and should help guide further developments in infant and maternal nutrition. This pioneering review aimed to identify the main factors that affect the concentrations of oligosaccharides in term and preterm human milk and to determine whether it is possible to calculate representative and reliable mean concentrations. A comprehensive literature search was performed in 6 electronic databases. Mean concentrations of 33 HMOS were able to be calculated. The results show that concentrations of oligosaccharides in human milk are dependent on both the secretor type of the mother as well as the lactation period. In addition, large interlaboratory variations in the data were observed. The results of this systematic review contribute to the current knowledge on composition and quantities of human milk oligosaccharides and may foster greater understanding of the biological functions of these compounds.
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