Breast Milk Is Understudied. What Are Scientists Learning Now?

Episode 1098,   Aug 14, 10:00 AM

Subscribe

There are a lot of claims about breast milk, but we know little about this sophisticated substance. Two researchers update us on the latest.

If you’ve found yourself scrolling through the breastfeeding world online, you know that people have a lot of strong opinions about breast milk. But what exactly do we know about the biology of it? Does breast milk really adapt to a baby’s needs? Does it confer immunity? How does making breast milk impact the breastfeeder? Joining Host Flora Lichtman to spin through the science of this sophisticated substance are experts Shelley McGuire and Deepshika Ramanan.

Guests: 
Dr. Shelley McGuire is the director of the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Idaho.
Dr. Deepshika Ramanan is an assistant professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.