Breastmilk is known for being fortified with disease-fighting proteins which helps babies improve their immune system and fight off infection. With this in mind, Dr. Rebecca Powell, a medical researcher, is currently conducting a study about breastmilk's properties which may help in finding a treatment for COVID-19.
Dr. Powell, who is known for her work as a human milk immunologist, asked lactating mothers within New York City to donate breastmilk which their babies do not need hoping to analyze its healing properties.
She took this strange request to Facebook and according to her statement in Vice News, she has already been receiving tons of volunteer submissions. She also said that many people who are lactating and have experienced symptoms of the infection have already flooded her email inbox.
Breastmilk is packed with antibodies
According to Powell, breastmilk from lactating human mothers is packed with antibodies that help babies fight off viral infections including measles and chickenpox. This is also the reason why breastfeeding is advised by doctors and the reason that sparked Powell's idea of considering breastmilk's protective properties as a possible treatment against COVID-19 which may help us win the fight against the pandemic.
Even with its health benefits, there have been minimal studies that have been made which seeks to use breastmilk's properties outside infant development. However, another reason that it is barely being used for antiviral studies since it has also been not studied if they can pass viruses and pathogens the same what that they can pass healing powers to their newborns.
According to New York Post, Powell and her team who are currently based in Mount Sinai is willing to pay $5 per ounce of milk from lactating mother's who are willing to donate. She also said that they will be collecting the samples from the individuals' homes and that they are also welcome to accept samples outside the city of New York as long as the samples are sent through the mail and that they have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections.
Women who chose to enroll in the study, are asked to freeze their breast milk every few weeks in order t track the antibodies over time. They also plan to collect samples over the course of the year, but participants are welcome to opt-out anytime.
The first to be taken in the study is to search for the antibodies in the breastmilk samples of women who have had COVID-19. Powell and her team will then analyze the said antibodies and their functions as anti-virals. She also aims to separate milk's immune properties and infuse it to patients if no other treatments are developed.
In the past few days, the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of convalescent plasma on COVID-19 patients, but in a case-by-case scenarios. This way, doctors are permitted to obtain blood plasma from patients who have recovered from the illness and infuse it on those who are still ill in order to expedite the process of antibody formation.
This is the same way that milk is intended to be used, but with the advantage of having a secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) which is resistant to attacks from pathogens. Secretory IgA makes up 90% of human milk antibody content.