"Cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, and TGF-beta2) and prostaglandin E2 in human milk during the first three months postpartum" JS Hawkes et al: The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were present in only a proportion of [breastmilk] samples, and there was a wide range of concentrations detected at each time in the present study... The antiinflammatory cytokines TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 were present in substantial quantities in all samples, and there was little change in the mean concentration... TNF and IL-6 are the enemies in Crohn's. The above study findings where the powerful anti-inflammotry cytokines are, as long known, found in all samples of breastmilk but where the pro-inflammatories, such as TNF, are found only in a few breastmilks suggests to me the possibility that those breastmilks expressing these factors are those of mothers experiencing some kind of gastro-intestinal inflammatory condition, such as Crohn's, colitis, irritable bowel... and that "your" mother may be expressing these same factors into her own milk. Some of the powerful anti-inflammatory cytokines found in all breastmilks are being studied and tested as therapeutic use for bowel diseases. My intuition would be that a healthy woman's breastmilk might be therapeutic to your client whereas her own may not be. There is great concern with malabsorption of nutrients in Crohn's/colitis as well and the drinking of her own breastmilk would require this mother to produce more breastmilk, utilizing more nutrients from her body and possibly reducing her nutrient status (as more nutrients are utilized in the production of breastmilk than are provided in it). While this would likely be a short-term usage of breastmilk in an adult, I personally have a concern about long-term usage of breastmilk in an adult because of the hormones and growth factors naturally found in any mammal milk -- these not intended for adult consumption -- and very possibly potentially encouraging of cancer growth. Dairy consumption is known to increase human cancer risks and "unprocessed" human milk in a human might prove to be even more powerful. The powerful anti-inflammatory condition of being fed breastmilk is cancer encouraging itself -- as anti-tumor factors such as TNF (tumor necrosis factor) are normally reduced by the action of breastmilk. This is no concern in an infant who should not have seeds of cancers lurking, but can be a danger in an older adult. The new Crohn's therapeutic drug that reduces TNF, and is a valuable healing medicine for active cases, is known to surely increase cancer cases for those using it for any extended period of time. The reduced incidence of cancer seen in children and adults who were breastfed comes from different mechanisms -- one of normality (breastfed) versus abnormality (immune-deprived/foreign-fed). *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html