Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding: How infant's immune system develops?

Breastfeeding affects infant’s health over the shortand long-term horizon. Components of breast milk such as immune cells, cytokines, chemokines, lipids, hormones and enzymes play an important role in protecting breastfed infants and contribute to the development of the immune system. The gut microbiome is one of the important role-players in the development of immunity. Its formation is influenced by many factors, and breastfeeding is considered one of the most significant. The gut microbiota composition significantly differs in breastfed and formula-fed infants. It may explain the reduced risk of many infectious and non-infectious diseases in breastfed infants. The main goal of formula manufacturers is to ensure not only healthy physical development of infants, but the same indicators of cognitive development, as well as protection from infections, which are observed in breastfed infants. When choosing a baby formula due to failure to breastfeed, it is important to choose a quality product that has a stimulating effect on the maturation of immunity and the formation of the infant's microbiota. Goat milkbased infant formulas are becoming popular in the world as an alternative to cow's milk-based infant formulas and can be the first choice for optimal nutrition. This review compares the various effects of breast milk and goat milk-based formulas on the formation of infant’s immunity.