Recent research from Texas Tech University, published in the journal Nutrients, examines the presence of semaglutide, a popular weight loss medication, in breast milk and its potential implications for both breastfeeding mothers and their infants.
Background and Importance of Breastfeeding
Breast milk is recognized as the optimal source of nutrition for infants, with a dynamic composition that adapts to meet the changing needs of the baby. Breastfeeding offers numerous health benefits, not only for infants but also for mothers, as it can reduce the risk of metabolic disorders later in life. Weight gain during pregnancy, which often leads to postpartum obesity, is a significant concern for many women. Semaglutide, originally developed for managing type 2 diabetes, has also gained popularity as an anti-obesity drug due to its 94% structural similarity to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its ability to bind GLP-1 receptors with high affinity.
Interestingly, GLP-1 has been found in breast milk and is thought to help regulate infants’ satiety. However, the potential for drugs like semaglutide to be transferred to infants through breastfeeding raises important health concerns, given that infants have different metabolic capacities compared to adults.
Study Overview
In the study, researchers aimed to determine whether semaglutide is present in breast milk and to assess any potential risks it might pose to breastfed infants. Data was collected from the Infant Risk Human Milk Biorepository, which included milk samples and health information from eight mother-infant pairs. Milk samples were analyzed at 0, 12, and 24 hours after semaglutide administration using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
Key Findings
The study found no detectable levels of semaglutide in any of the milk samples collected. This suggests that if semaglutide is present in breast milk, its concentration is below the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 5.7 ng/ml, the threshold at which the drug can be reliably measured. The researchers estimated the maximum possible dose of semaglutide that could be transferred to an infant through breast milk and found it to be extremely low—about 1.12% of the maternal dose. Even after adjusting for potential changes in milk concentration following drug administration, the relative infant dose (RID) was calculated to be only 1.26%.
Despite the low levels of semaglutide detected, the study also highlighted the need to monitor both maternal and infant health closely during semaglutide use, especially given the potential for rapid weight loss in breastfeeding mothers, which could impact milk production and composition. One participant reported transient gastrointestinal issues in her infant, although these were not definitively linked to semaglutide.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that semaglutide is unlikely to pose significant risks to breastfed infants, as its presence in breast milk is minimal. However, the researchers emphasize the need for further studies to understand better the effects of semaglutide on milk production and composition during lactation. Ensuring adequate maternal nutrition is crucial, as semaglutide may accelerate postpartum weight loss, potentially affecting the nutrient content of breast milk.
As the use of semaglutide becomes more common among postpartum women, ongoing research is essential to ensure the safety of both mothers and their breastfeeding children.
