{rfName}
In

Indexed in

License and use

Icono OpenAccess

Citations

9

Altmetrics

Grant support

This research was funded by Promotion of Knowledge Transfer program (PTC-2020) from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in collaboration with Alter Farmacia, S.A., Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RTI 2018-097504-B-I00), and by the crowdfunding project PRECIPITA (https://www.precipita.es/proyectos/Composicion-de-la-leche-materna-prematuridad-yparametros-maternos, accessed on 13 September 2020).

Analysis of institutional authors

Ramiro-Cortijo, DAuthorCanas, SAuthorGil-Ramirez, AAuthorMartin-Cabrejas, MaAuthorArribas, SmCorresponding Author

Share

September 5, 2022
Publications
>
Article
Sí

Influence of Neonatal Sex on Breast Milk Protein and Antioxidant Content in Spanish Women in the First Month of Lactation

Publicated to:Antioxidants. 11 (8): 1472- - 2022-08-01 11(8), DOI: 10.3390/antiox11081472

Authors: Ramiro-Cortijo, David; Gila-Diaz, Andrea; Carrillo, Gloria Herranz; Canas, Silvia; Gil-Ramirez, Alicia; Ruvira, Santiago; Martin-Cabrejas, Maria A.; Arribas, Silvia M.;

Affiliations

Inst Invest Sanitaria Hosp Clin San Carlos IdISSC, Div Neonatol, Hosp Clin San Carlos, C Prof Martin Lagos S-N, Madrid 28040, Spain - Author
Univ Autonoma Madrid, Dept Agr Chem & Food Sci, Fac Sci, Ciudad Univ Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain - Author
Univ Autonoma Madrid, Doctoral Sch, PhD Programme Pharmacol & Physiol, Madrid 28049, Spain - Author
Univ Autonoma Madrid, Fac Med, Dept Physiol, C Arzobispo Morcillo 2, Madrid 28029, Spain - Author
Univ Autonoma Madrid, Food Oxidat Stress & Cardiovasc Hlth FOSCH Res Gr, Ciudad Univ Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain - Author
Univ Autonoma Madrid, Inst Food Sci Res, CIAL, UAM CSIC, C Nicolas Cabrera 9, Madrid 28049, Spain - Author
See more

Abstract

Breast milk (BM) is the best food for newborns. Male sex is associated with a higher risk of fetal programming, prematurity, and adverse postnatal outcome, being that BM is an important health determinant. BM composition is dynamic and modified by several factors, including lactation period, prematurity, maternal nutritional status, and others. This study was designed to evaluate the influence of sex on BM composition during the first month of lactation, focused on macronutrients and antioxidants. Forty-eight breastfeeding women and their fifty-five newborns were recruited at the Hospital Clinico San Carlos (Madrid, Spain). Clinical sociodemographic data and anthropometric parameters were collected. BM samples were obtained at days 7, 14, and 28 of lactation to assess fat (Mojonnier method), protein (Bradford method), and biomarkers of oxidative status: total antioxidant capacity (ABTS and FRAP methods), thiol groups, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation (spectrophotometric methods). Linear mixed models with random effects adjusted by maternal anthropometry, neonatal Z-scores at birth, and gestational age were used to assess the main effects of sex, lactation period, and their interaction. BM from mothers with male neonates exhibited significantly higher protein, ABTS, FRAP, and GSH levels, while catalase showed the opposite trend. No differences between sexes were observed in SOD, total thiols, and oxidative damage biomarkers. Most changes were observed on day 7 of lactation. Adjusted models demonstrated a significant association between male sex and proteins (beta = 2.70 +/- 1.20; p-Value = 0.048). In addition, total antioxidant capacity by ABTS (beta = 0.11 +/- 0.06) and GSH (beta = 1.82 +/- 0.94) showed a positive trend near significance (p-Value = 0.056; p-Value = 0.064, respectively). In conclusion, transitional milk showed sex differences in composition with higher protein and GSH levels in males. This may represent an advantage in the immediate perinatal period, which may help to counteract the worse adaptation of males to adverse intrauterine environments and prematurity.

Keywords

antioxidantsbreast milkbreastfeedingmacronutrientsmale disadvantageAgeAntioxidantsBreast milkBreastfeedingCapacityColostrumEarly nutritionInfantsMacronutrientMacronutrientsMale disadvantageMortalityMothers milkNeonatal sexPrematurePreterm

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Antioxidants due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2022, it was in position 6/60, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Food Science & Technology. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from the Field Citation Ratio (FCR) of the Dimensions source, it yields a value of: 3.76, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-20, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 2
  • Scopus: 4
  • Europe PMC: 2

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-20:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 32.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 40 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 3.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 5 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: https://repositorio.uam.es/handle/10486/703649

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (RAMIRO CORTIJO, DAVID) and Last Author (ARRIBAS RODRIGUEZ, SILVIA MAGDALENA).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been ARRIBAS RODRIGUEZ, SILVIA MAGDALENA.