Potential Health Benefits of Human and Animal Milks: A Critical Review of the Current Literature

The milk of every species is unique to its own offspring. Human milk is a biological fluid that supports the optimal growth and development of the newborn. It is rich in energy, nutrients, and bioactive substances, possesses high bioavailability, and is easy to digest. This makes human milk the natural gold standard that varies according to the needs of the infant. Human milk is the ideal source of nutrition for infants; however, other animal milks, such as those from donkeys, cows, sheep, goats, camels, and buffaloes, are also used in human nutrition. These milks serve as alternatives when human milk is insufficient or unavailable. Although no other mammal's milk can truly replace human milk, these alternatives are easily accessible and provide nutritional support when needed. Milks from various mammals are widely consumed today due to their health benefits, and they offer a range of nutrients that can support infant nutrition. Animal milk is often preferred for its positive properties in the treatment of various diseases. This review comprehensively discusses the basic compositional properties and metabolic effects of human milk, as well as cow, donkey, sheep, goat, camel, and other milk, highlighting their implications for human health and can constitute a starting point to examine the potential health applications for human health.