Human breast milk is mind-boggling complex in its composition. Cannabinoids, stem cells, probiotics, appetite modulators and an insane variety of nutrients are all perfectly tailored to create a healthy child. Babies that are fed on formula (largely cow’s milk) are more sickly, less intelligent, and have an increased chance of developing psychological disorders. Can we do a better job of copying breast milk? The answer is a strong no. The top synthetic chemists in the world can’t even copy the prebiotic component of human milk at any meaningful scale.
The composition of breast milk also changes over a single feed as well as over the months of lactation and there is also a microbial component as the mother provides probiotic species that are critical for the child’s microbiome. Evolution has produced something close to perfection. The same is true for another human secretion … sebum, the natural oil that is produced by your skin. It is impossible to replicate, unique to the individual and it adapts over time to changing conditions. Yet most people seem quite content to wash this highly curated oil down the drain with foaming products – twice a day – and then to make a half-hearted attempt at replacing it with a $5 moisturizer.
Maybe we should be a little less surprised at the rise of inflammatory skin conditions and sensitive skin?