Hormones in milk: chemical signals to the offspring?

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Abstract
Since methods for measuring hormone concentrations in biological fluids were developed during the 1960s and 70s the list of biologically active substances, including classical hormones, present in milk has grown ever longer. Postulated roles for these substances have reflected a remarkable imagination on the part of many investigators. As one example, in a recent report of benzodiazepine-like substances in human milk the authors ask whether these represent a phylogenetic relic from a time when babies had to keep quiet (Dencker & Johansson, 1990). A number of reviews of hormones in milk have been written, most recently and notably by Koldovsky (1989) on peptide hormones. It is not our intention to review that information again other than to point out that the list grows ever more wide-ranging. Rather, we address the question of whether the hormones in milk might have any biological role in the suckling ingesting that milk and the

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