Benefits of Breastfeeding
August is national breastfeeding month. Breastfeeding has several benefits for both mother and child. One of the benefits is the link between breastfeeding and the reduction of the odds of breast cancer.
When a mother breastfeeds her child, a hormone called oxytocin is released. Oxytocin triggers the bond between a mother and an infant. Oxytocin promotes lactation by moving milk into the breast. It does this by causing the breast duct’s to propel the milk. At the same time oxytocin is naturally cleaning the ducts of any built up fluid so that free radicals are not able to accumulate. Free radicals which may cause cancer can be stored in the body’s tissues, especially if lactation is not performed for long periods of time. By cleaning the ducts out it decreases the odds of developing cancer.
In addition, oxytocin plays a direct role on tumor cells that inhibit breast cancer. It also inhibits estrogen receptor alpha cells, which prevents estrogen from binding and causing growth of cancer cells.
In addition to fighting breast cancer, when oxytocin is released cortisone levels are decreased. This is the association between breast feeding and the reduction of stress.
If you are not breastfeeding the good news is similar benefits can be reproduced with breast and nipple stimulation. Dr T.G Murrell from Adelaide University of Australia has conducted extensive research and has found if a women stimulates her breast and nipple for at least 10 minutes daily it will increase a women’s oxytocin levels by up to 100%. This is most effective the last 2 weeks of the menstrual cycle and is diminished by alcohol.
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Reference:
1. https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/hormones/oxytocin. Accessed on August 23, 2020
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7850070/. Accessed on August 23, 2020
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK148970/. Accessed on August 23, 2020
