Breastfeeding may reduce heart disease risk

Perhaps you have been debating whether to give your newborn Similac or to breastfeed. Maybe after reading the findings from this recent research you will be more likely to nurse your babies.

Previous research shows that women who breastfeed lower their chances of developing metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease. Blood levels of glucose and fats in these breastfeeding women were improved per the results of the study.

More recently, a 20-year study was conducted with over 700 women between the ages of 18 and 30 for the sake of documenting additional research on the positive effects of breastfeeding. Only about 120 of them got post-pregnancy metabolic syndrome, which can serve as a predictor for heart disease as well as early death in women. The majority of women were not effected by the condition, which was seen as good news for those who choose to breastfeed.

The leader of this study, Dr. Erica Gunderson from Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, concluded hat breastfeeding a child could have lasting positive effects on a woman by reducing the risk of diabetes or heart disease.

The results of the research will appear in the journal Diabetes in February.