Exposure of babies to alcohol, through breast milk, could harm their body, brain and behavioral development.
- The alcohol-exposed pups were physically smaller and had smaller brains.
- Alcohol could prevent the intestine from absorbing nutrients effectively.
- The young mice were also hyperactive and had trouble coping with their stress.
We know it: it is not recommended to consume alcoholic beverages during pregnancy, as this can cause various complications in the newborn. The most serious form is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It is characterized by malformation of the skull and face, growth retardation as well as problems with learning, memory and attention.
But what are the consequences of drinking alcohol while breastfeeding? This is the question asked by researchers at the University of California at Riverside (United States). To answer this, they decided to conduct a study, published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, in mice. Scientists exposed young mice to ethanol for 20 days after birth, a period equivalent to early childhood in humans.
Breastfeeding: alcohol interferes with the absorption of nutrients by the digestive system
Compared to “control” mice, young animals exposed to ethanol had a lower weight and a smaller brain. A decrease in the length of the neocortex was also observed at the time of weaning and until the onset of puberty. According to Kelly Huffman, author of the work, the reduction in weight and brain size can be explained by the inability of the intestine to effectively absorb nutrients when alcohol is ingested through breast milk. “A decrease in protein synthesis in the small intestine can block the absorption of micro and macronutrients.”
Hyperactivity and difficulty coping with stress due to ingested alcohol
With regard to the behavioral development of mice, the tests carried out revealed that rodents exposed to alcohol during the first days of life adopted more risky behavior, were hyperactive and showed abnormal stress regulation. “Women should therefore abstain from alcohol consumption while breastfeeding until further research can better guide recommendations for maternal practices in infancy.”said Kelly Huffman, in a statement.