Ask someone in the know to list the substances in breast milk that make it the ideal food for newborns and you may hear about proteins that guard against infection, fats that aid in the development of the nervous system and carbohydrates that promote the growth of healthy bacteria. But, you may not hear too much about the nitrite and nitrate in breast milk and their contributions to developing gastrointestinal, immune and cardiovascular systems.

In a study published online on Oct. 19 in advance of print in Breastfeeding Medicine, the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) announced the results of an observational study showing that the levels of nitrite and nitrate in breast milk change during the initial days after birth, which the scientists argue is to accommodate the changing physiologic requirements of developing babies.

"This research shows the essential nature of nitrite in breast milk," said Nathan Bryan, Ph.D., the study's senior author and an assistant professor at the UTHealth Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM). "While the nitrite and nitrate composition of breast milk has been reported, this is the first study to demonstrate the changing levels of nitrite and nitrate early on."

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