Effect of Maternal Moringa oleifera Leaf Supplementation on Maternal and Infant Nutritional Status and Human Milk...

Feeding of human milk enhances infant health and survival over alternative feeding methods, but early cessation often occurs due to perceived or real insufficient milk supply. Moringa oleifera leaves are nutrient dense and may increase milk output.

We investigated the impact of maternal dried moringa leaf powder supplementation (moringa) on milk composition and output and infant and maternal health.

Breastfeeding mother-infant pairs (n = 50) living in Kisumu County, Kenya, were cluster-randomized by location to consume moringa powder (20 g/d) in corn porridge (the moringa group) or corn porridge alone (the control group) for 3 mo. Milk and maternal/infant blood were collected and 24-h expressed milk volume evaluated at baseline and 3 mo. Maternal and infant anthropometrics were measured monthly. Milk lipid and protein concentrations and maternal and/or infant serum retinol-binding protein, ferritin/soluble transferrin receptor, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 concentrations were measured.

Nearly, all dyads (n = 45, 90%) completed the study. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. At 3 mo, mothers in the moringa group (mean: 947 mL; 95% CI: 794, 1113 mL) expressed twice as much milk as controls (mean: 618 mL; 95% CI: 486, 763 mL; P = 0.003). Infant serum IGF-1 concentration was greater in the moringa group (mean: 25.2 ng/mL; 95% CI: 21.0, 29.5 ng/mL) than that in the control group (mean: 17.8 ng/mL; 95% CI: 13.6, 22.0 ng/mL; P = 0.017). There was no effect of moringa on total milk lipid and protein concentrations, fatty acids, or infant growth.

In this population, 3 mo of maternal moringa consumption was associated with increased expressed milk output and higher circulating infant IGF-1 without impacting infant growth. Additional studies are needed to understand the mechanisms driving these effects and their influence on long-term health.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04587271 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04587271).