The DOI matches its Crossref record; 13 of the 13 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Breastfeeding may improve nocturnal sleep and reduce infantile colic: Potential role of breast milk melatonin
Abstract
Unlabelled Melatonin is secreted during the night in adults but not in infants. It has a hypnotic effect as well as a relaxing effect on the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. It is plausible that breast milk, which consists of melatonin, may have an effect on improving infants' sleep and reducing infantile colic. Our first goal was to assess the differences in the prevalence and severity of infantile colic and nocturnal sleep between breast-fed infants and supplement-fed infants. The second was to characterize the profile of melatonin secretion in human breast milk compared to artificial formulas. Ninety-four mothers of healthy 2 to 4-month-old infants filled a questionnaire regarding irritability/potential infantile colic and sleep characteristics. For the second part, we measured melatonin levels in breast milk of five women every 2 h during 24 h and in three samples of commonly used artificial formulas. Exclusively breast-fed infants had a significantly lower incidence of colic attacks (p = 0.04), lower severity of irritability attacks (p = 0.03), and a trend for longer nocturnal sleep duration (p = 0.06). Melatonin in human milk showed a clear circadian curve and was unmeasurable in all artificial milks.Conclusions Exclusive breastfeeding is associated with reduced irritability/colic and a tendency toward longer nocturnal sleep. Breast milk (nocturnal) consists of substantial melatonin levels, whereas artificial formulas do not. We speculate that melatonin which is supplied to the infant via breast milk plays a role in improving sleep and reducing colic in breast-fed infants compared to formula-fed ones.
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In the citing paper
“Previous studies have proposed that perturbed maternal melatonin signaling is a mechanism by which circadian disruption negatively impacts development15, 17, 20–25.”
From Maternal and Early-Life Circadian Disruption Have Long-Lasting Negative Consequences on Offspring Development and Adult Behavior in Mice (2017) · cites this paper as [22]
In the citing paper
“Mothers communicate rhythmic information to developing pups through melatonin in their milk20, 22.”
From Maternal and Early-Life Circadian Disruption Have Long-Lasting Negative Consequences on Offspring Development and Adult Behavior in Mice (2017) · cites this paper as [22]
In the citing paper
“The failure of stable maternal rhythms to rescue offspring outcomes are in contrast with both the ELS and maternal melatonin literature, in which neonatal interventions rescue circadian-22, 53–55 and ELS-induced effects in offspring56.”
From Maternal and Early-Life Circadian Disruption Have Long-Lasting Negative Consequences on Offspring Development and Adult Behavior in Mice (2017) · cites this paper as [22]
Citations
Cites
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“on gastrointestinal smooth muscle [4] and a hypnotic effect [3].”
BackgroundMelatonin and the pineal gland: influence on mammalian seasonal and circadian physiology
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Incidência de cólica no lactente e fatores associados: um estudo de coorte
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Extrapineal melatonin: sources, regulation, and potential functions
Acuña-Castroviejo, D., Escames, G., Venegas, C., Díaz-Casado, M. E., Lima‐Cabello, E., López, L. C., Rosales‐Corral, S., Tan, D., & Reiter, R. J. (2014) · Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences · doi:10.1007/s00018-014-1579-2 · Cited by 1,133
The Safety of Melatonin in Humans
Andersen, L. P. H., Gögenür, I., Rosenberg, J., & Reiter, R. J. (2015) · Clinical Drug Investigation · doi:10.1007/s40261-015-0368-5 · Cited by 474
Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin
Meng, X., Li, Y., Li, S., Zhou, Y., Gan, R.-Y., Xu, D.-P., & Li, H.-B. (2017) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu9040367 · Cited by 362
The Impact of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes on WHO-Recommended Breastfeeding Practices
Piwoz, E., & Huffman, S. L. (2015) · Food and Nutrition Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0379572115602174 · Cited by 274
Vandenplas, Y., Abkari, A., Bellaiche, M. M., Benninga, M. A., Chouraqui, J. P. J., Çokura, F., Harb, T., Hegar, B., Lifschitz, C. H., Ludwig, T. G., et al. (2015) · Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition · doi:10.1097/mpg.0000000000000949 · Cited by 253
Metadata
- Authors
- Cohen Engler, A., Hadash, A., Shehadeh, N., & Pillar, G.
- Affiliations
- Rambam Health Care Campus (IL)
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IL)
- Venue
- European Journal of Pediatrics
- Published
- 2011-12-29
- Volume
- 171
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 729-732
- ISSN
- 0340-6199 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-1076
- OpenAlex
- W2059977935
- Cited by
- 195
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 13.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Health and Development
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
- Keywords
- breastfeeding, infantile colic, melatonin, breast milk, nocturnal sleep, infant irritability, infant formula, exclusive breastfeeding, formula-fed infants
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Breast Feeding, Colic, Female, Humans, Melatonin, Milk, Human, Sleep
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