Buying Human Breast Milk Online Is A Bad Idea

by Monica Joshi

Who would have thought that the pure, unadulterated, human breast milk would be a bad idea to consume? Especially when compared with regular cow milk? It's exactly because human breast milk is so “pure” and “unprocessed” that it is a bad idea to consume it.

Breast milk is being as marketed as a ‘clean’ super food for adults. However, the lucrative online business is poorly regulated and poses many health risks. While breast milk has nutritional benefits for babies, raw human milk available online can actually be dangerous.

Lead researcher Dr. Sarah Steele, from Queen Mary University of London, says there is:

“... no scientific evidence that adult consumption of human milk for medicinal properties offers anything more than a placebo effect.”

Specialist websites, which have been selling human breast milk to adults, have even gone so far as to claim that it can improve performance in the gym, as well as help with erectile dysfunction and cancer.

Actually, in terms of nutrition, there is less protein in breast milk than alternatives like cow’s milk. So as far as benefits at the gym goes, it is clearly false. Human breast milk can also be potentially dangerous, especially if used to replace a healthy, balanced diet.

The piece, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, claims that those who purchase breast milk online are exposing themselves to dangerous infectious diseases, including hepatitis, HIV and syphilis.

It also warns that there is a possibility of contamination, as there is improper storage and transportation of the milk. This can expose customers to bacterial, food-borne illnesses. The paper also shows that 93% of breast milk sold online contains detectable levels of bacteria.

Dr. Steele said that:

“While many online mums claim they have been tested for viruses during pregnancy, many do not realize that serological screening needs to be undertaken regularly. Sexual and other activities in the postpartum period may expose the woman to viruses that they may unwittingly pass on to consumers of the milk.”

Researchers are calling for public health guidelines against this growing trend of purchasing human milk online. It would also be interesting to see more research done on people buying the product. Such as whether they have, in fact, contracted any food-borne illnesses and whether or not there are any other diseases that have been transferred due to the consumption of human breast milk.

As an alternative to human milk, Nina Planck, author of "Real Food", explains why she and her family drink unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk, and why the rewards outweigh the risks.