Longer breastfeeding in infancy may slow multiple sclerosis (MS) progression and delay disease onset, a study of adults with the condition suggests.
Researchers found that adults with MS who were breastfed for more than six months had less severe disease than those breastfed for shorter periods.
Every additional two months of breastfeeding was linked to lower disability scores.
MS is a condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord, damaging nerve tissue and disrupting signals in the central nervous system.
Breast milk contains immune cells, antibodies and anti-inflammatory molecules that help shape immune development in early life and may affect autoimmune disease risk later on.
The study, conducted at a neurology clinic in Turkey, included 105 adults diagnosed with MS between July and December 2023.
Participants were asked about infant feeding history, including breastfeeding duration, and all underwent detailed clinical examinations.
Most participants were women, accounting for 70 per cent of the group, and the mean age was 38.7.
All had received breast milk, but for different durations: 18 per cent were breastfed for less than six months, 24 per cent for six to 12 months and 58 per cent for more than 12 months.
Disability was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale, a standard measure of MS severity. Those breastfed for less than six months had a mean score of 3.74.
Participants breastfed for six to 12 months had a mean score of 1.92, while those breastfed for more than 12 months had the lowest mean score of 1.52.
After adjusting for age, disease duration, MS type and treatment history, breastfeeding duration remained independently associated with disability.
Each additional two months of breastfeeding was linked to a 0.487-point reduction in disability score.
Researchers also observed a trend towards later MS onset among those breastfed for longer.
People breastfed for less than six months developed MS at a mean age of 26.8, compared with 30.1 for those breastfed for six to 12 months and 30.9 for those breastfed for more than a year.
The researchers wrote: “Our findings suggest that prolonged breastfeeding may be associated with a reduction in the clinical severity of MS.
They added: “Breast milk contains bioactive components that support immunological development, which may delay the onset of autoimmune diseases. In this context, the finding that patients with longer breastfeeding duration had a later age at MS onset further supports this protective effect.”
However, they cautioned that the study’s design and small sample size mean further research is needed to confirm the findings.
