Breastfed as Babies Linked to Greater Cancer Risks as Adults…Or is it?

 

“We have to consider that breast milk is only as good as the mother is healthy: if the mother’s diet is insufficient and lacking micronutrients, the baby will become the conduit and reap the same.”

 

At first when reading the headlines of this newsletter you may think of me as gone mad but let me explain. The subject of this newsletter came to my knowledge by chance. I was hesitant to report on this as I could only imagine how the subject of breastfeeding causing increased cancer risks when becoming adults could scare and prevent mothers from breastfeeding their babies. How could I report such a thing, especially when I was breastfed and being a naturopathic doctor, I have recommended the practice my entire career? I also know how the act of breastfeeding could be vilified by various interest groups to further their agenda. Frankly, I have very little trust anymore with most clinical studies, especially those that come against the natural process of being healthy.

The research study I came across was Being Breastfed in Infancy and Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Precursor Lesions led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who investigated potential links between being breastfed as an infant and having colorectal cancer later in life. “The study found that having been breastfed as an infant was associated with a 23% increased risk of colorectal cancer later in life.”[1]

Similar results were shown by a large UK prospective study as well. This study examined the relationship between infant feeding practices and the incidence of adult cancers in a cohort of 1 in 4 UK women born between 1935 and 1950. While previous research has shown short-term benefits of breastfeeding, such as lower infection and obesity risks in infancy and childhood, the long-term impact on adult cancer risk remains unclear. In a sample of 548,741 women without prior cancer, participants reported whether they were breastfed during infancy. The study found an 81% agreement between self-reported breastfeeding status and records from when the participants were 2 years old. Using Cox regression analysis, the study revealed a significant association between being breastfed and an increased incidence of colorectal cancer (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.12-1.24, n = 8651). Further investigation also indicated elevated risks for benign colorectal polyps (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13, n = 17,677) and appendicitis (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07-1.31, n = 2108) in women who were breastfed. The findings suggest a potential long-term influence of infant feeding practices on gastrointestinal health, emphasizing the need for additional research to better understand this association.[2]

My first thought was that I will not report on this subject, after all they are at it again, trying to discredit the benefits of breastfeeding in hopes of formula feeding because we all know that breastfeeding gives the child an increase in immune defence and improved antibodies. We also have to consider the environment in the UK between 1935 and 1950, this was during and after the war, the UK was divested. Having enough food and the quality were concerns for health authorities, during the post war period food hygiene and hunger and poor nutritional health were well established.

Then again, we have to consider that breast milk is only as good as the mother is healthy: if the mother’s diet is insufficient and lacking micronutrients, the baby will become the conduit and reap the same. Mother’s milk does not somehow create mystical nutrients because it comes from the breast, what the mother takes in the baby takes in, if the mother’s microbiome is out of balance, the infants will be out of balance, if anemic, the baby will be anemic.

The establishment and ongoing changes in gut microbiota play a crucial role in maintaining host health, influenced by factors such as genetics, maternal health, delivery mode, and feeding practices. By the end of the first three years of life, the gut microbiota stabilizes into an adult-like system, with 60 to 70% composition remaining stable throughout life. However, 30 to 40% can be altered by factors like diet, physical activity, lifestyle, infections, and medical treatments.[3]

Diet-related factors are influencing the gut microbiota at all ages; this is why nutrition has therapeutic impact in correcting microbiota imbalances. The exploration of links between gut microbiota composition and dietary patterns provides valuable insights for understanding and promoting overall health.

I have discussed this matter in greater detail in my book Natural Medicine For a Sick World, the power of establishing natural immunity. This study was based on knowledge we do not have today: the importance of gut bacteria and the need for taking both pre- and probiotics like Laktokhan, to establish a positive balance of gut bacteria as it is very critical for those who are pregnant and breastfeeding to pass these positive features to their children.

It is crucial for mothers who choose to solely breastfeed to maintain good health and eat healthy, be sure to be taking high quality vitamins and minerals, and drinking pure water. Proper vitamins and minerals in their daily diet is extremely important; being well covered with Next Generation Super Multivitamin and Opti-Cal/Mag Complex with K2.

“Micronutrients are fundamental for healthy brain development and deficiencies during early development can have a severe and lasting impact on cognitive outcomes. Evidence indicates that undernourished lactating individuals may produce breast milk containing lower concentrations of certain vitamins and minerals. Exclusively breastfed infants born to mothers deficient in micronutrients may therefore be at risk of micronutrient deficiencies, with potential implications for neurodevelopment.”[4]

According to a systematic review and meta-analysis, “[g]lobal estimates of calcium, zinc and vitamin D content in breastmilk are lacking.”[5] This analysis of 154 studies on breast milk calcium, 242 studies on breast milk zinc, and 43 studies on breast milk vitamin D reveals several key findings. The mean calcium concentration in breast milk was 261 mg/L, influenced by maternal health and decreasing linearly over lactation, with a predictive equation for calcium concentration at a specific time. For zinc, the mean concentration was 2.57 mg/L, affected by factors like maternal age, gestational age, and diet, with an initial high concentration in the first weeks postpartum followed by a rapid decrease over months. A predictive equation for zinc concentration at a specific time during lactation was provided. Regarding vitamin D, the mean total antirachitic activity of breast milk was 58 IU/L, mainly consisting of 25OHD3, with variations influenced by factors like supplementation, continent, and season. These findings contribute to understanding the dynamic nature of these nutrients in breast milk and provide predictive equations for their concentrations at different stages of lactation.[6]

We will have to follow up with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study and establish some sound reasoning why these people who were breastfed had a greater risk for colon cancer. Until then, continue to breastfeed and maintain a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition.

Additional Reading:

References:

[1] Yuan, Chen et al. 2023.

[2] Yang, TienYu Owen et al. 2019.

[3] Kashtanova, Daria A et al. 2016.

[4] Lockyer, Francesca et al. 2021.

[5] Rios-Leyvraz, Magali, and Qisi Yao. 2023.

[6] Ibid.