Study reveals how the brain balances hormones and metabolism during lactation

Study reveals how the brain balances hormones and metabolism during lactation

Nursing poses major metabolic demands on mothers, to which they respond by eating more and saving energy to sustain milk production.

How mothers adapt to the metabolic demands of nursing

Nursing poses major metabolic demands on mothers, to which they respond by eating more and saving energy to sustain milk production. There are significant hormonal changes during lactation, but how they lead to metabolic adaptations in nursing mothers remained unclear.

Mothers’ Metabolic Adaptations to Meet the Demands of Nursing

The metabolic challenges faced by nursing mothers represent a complex interplay of hormonal, neurological, and physiological adaptations, critical for sustaining both maternal health and the demands of lactation. Recent research conducted by a team from Baylor College of Medicine and Pennington Biomedical Research Center sheds light on this intricate relationship, particularly focusing on the role of prolactin, estrogen, and specific neurons in …