Breastfeeding has been known to come along with an over-supply of benefits for the mother. From weight-loss, speedy after-birth healing, decreasing breast and ovarian cancer risks, healthy hormone releases and now a source for prevention to Type 2 Diabetes.
Serving as a significant long-term benefit for mothers, breastfeeding babies not only reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes but also rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
"We found that a longer duration of breastfeeding was associated with a substantially lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women," said lead study author Erica Gunderson.
In fact, women who breastfed more than six months had about half the risk for type 2 diabetes as did women who never breastfed, according to Gunderson. She is an epidemiologist and senior research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Northern California's division of research in Oakland.
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In babies, breastfeeding has been linked toa reduced risk for infections, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, some cancers and childhood overweight and obesity.
In mothers, breastfeeding helps return to pre-pregnancy weight and decrease postpartum blood loss and menstrual blood loss. Breastfeeding has also been associated with a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer in mothers, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The new study began 30 years ago when researchers recruited young women, then 18 to 30 years old, for a study on heart disease. During that study, researchers also gathered information on pregnancy and breastfeeding. They also tested the women every five years for diabetes.
That produced information on more than 1,200 women for the new study. Half were black, and half were white. All had at least one live birth.
The researchers adjusted the data to account for other factors that could affect a woman's risk for type 2 diabetes. These included income, education, weight, diet quality, physical activity, medication use and other health conditions.
By the end of the 30-year study, 182 of the women had developed type 2 diabetes.
Women who breastfed for 6 to 12 months had a 48 percent lower risk for type 2 diabetes than women who never breastfed, the findings showed.
The protective effect of breastfeeding didn't differ by race or the presence of gestational diabetes, the study found.
Although the study cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship because it was observational, the researchers suspect that breastfeeding quickly returns the body to a more normal metabolic state. Other studies have shown that when women breastfeed, their triglycerides (a type of blood fat) and blood sugar levels return to normal more quickly. Breastfeeding moms also secrete less insulin and use fat tissue stores.
Dr. Rekha Kumar is an endocrinologist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center's Comprehensive Weight Control Center in New York City. She also thinks that breastfeeding likely has beneficial effects on insulin and blood sugar metabolism.
"Breastfeeding makes you more sensitive to the hormone insulin," Kumar said.
However, she added that larger studies need to be done to duplicate the findings and to better understand the mechanism behind the protective effect.
Still, Kumar said: "I loved this study. For a long time, we have talked about the benefits of breastfeeding on infants, but we don't always talk about the long-term benefits for mothers."
Study author Gunderson said the benefitsof breastfeeding may go beyond a reduction in type 2 diabetes. Because type 2 diabetes is a very strong risk factor for heart disease, it's possible that breastfeeding could also lead to a reduction in heart disease, which could then potentially reduce health care costs.
We know for some women breastfeeding may not always be possible and it’s important to know you and your baby’s options. Although to stave-off diabetes through breastfeeding may not be achievable alternatively, proper dieting and exercise can do just as an unsurmountable of good for your health as well.
As far as your precious bundle of joy, there are ways to still ensure that your baby receives its proper natural nutrition. Alternatives like Milk Share donations, homemade formulas, and organic formula are still options as a substitute for your own breast milk.
SOURCES:
Erica Gunderson, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S., epidemiologist and senior research scientist, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, division of research, Oakland, Calif.; Rekha Kumar, M.D., endocrinologist, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Comprehensive Weight Control Center, New York City; Jan. 16, 2018, JAMA Internal Medicine, online
