Improving Heart Health through Breastfeeding for Women
Breastfeeding has long been recognised as a beneficial practice for both mothers and infants, with numerous health advantages extending beyond nutrition. Recent research is now focusing on how lactation may affect the structure and function of the left ventricle, independent of pericardial fat, and its impact on visceral and pericardial fat, fat depots associated with greater cardiometabolic risk.
Visceral fat, the fat stored around internal organs in the abdominal cavity, and pericardial fat, which accumulates around the heart, have been linked to higher risks of insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Breastfeeding has been shown to mobilise these fat stores, particularly reducing visceral and pericardial fat, through increased energy expenditure and hormonal changes (such as prolactin and oxytocin effects) that improve fat metabolism.
This reduction in visceral and pericardial fat during and after lactation contributes to better long-term cardiovascular and metabolic health. Lower risk of cardiovascular disease results from less pericardial fat reducing inflammation and local cardiac fat-related risks, improving heart function. Improved metabolic profile is achieved through reduced visceral fat, which improves insulin sensitivity and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes. Reduced inflammation is another benefit, as both fat depots produce inflammatory cytokines that contribute to systemic inflammation.
Furthermore, breastfeeding may help prevent future cardiovascular disease development by reversing high blood levels of triglycerides during pregnancy and preventing a reduction in HDL, or "good," cholesterol following delivery. Breastfeeding has also been linked to a reduced risk of hypertension, urinary tract infections, and postpartum depression in women.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) both recommend that women continue to breastfeed their children for at least one year, or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant. Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their infants exclusively for the first six months, then combine breastfeeding with age-appropriate food between six months and 12 months. Prolonging breastfeeding for a longer duration is associated with a 50% lower risk of progression to type 2 diabetes, independent of social or lifestyle behaviors, metabolic profiles, or body size before pregnancy.
In conclusion, breastfeeding helps reduce visceral and pericardial fat, which in turn lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic disorders over the long term. The study supports the recommendations by health and physician organisations for breastfeeding, as it promotes cardiometabolic health benefits in women.
- The study suggests that breastfeeding may influence cardiovascular health by reducing pericardial fat, contributing to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Research indicates that breastfeeding could improve women's health and wellness by enhancing metabolic profiles, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, and decreasing inflammation.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Pediatricians recommend breastfeeding for at least one year, as it has been linked to a decreased risk of women's medical conditions such as hypertension, urinary tract infections, and postpartum depression.
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