Experts have urged Britons not to drink human breast milk for its “nutrients” and “energising” effect, as recommended by health guru Joe Wicks earlier this week.
The 38-year-old fitness professional surprised his fans with a video posted on his social media in which he is seen drinking breast milk produced by his wife Rosie.
Wicks praised the substance for its purported health benefits, describing it as “a naturally sweet vanilla milk,” adding: “It’s no wonder babies love sugar and sweet things.”
However, scientists have told MailOnline that human breast milk is “potentially harmful” to adults, highlighting serious risks including contracting sexually transmitted infections and food poisoning.
Breast milk has been a popular, if unorthodox, health supplement among some groups of people, such as bodybuilders, for years.
Joe Wicks surprised fans by drinking his wife Rosie’s breast milk as he headed to the final show of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at Wembley
The Body Coach, 38, stepped out with Rosie, 33, and stepped out with her daughter Indie for the megastar’s final show of the European leg of her tour.
This belief has been based largely on flawed logic: since breast milk has everything a rapidly growing baby needs, the same should hold true for everyone.
However, adult drinkers face a host of potential health problems.
Most of those jumping on the breast milk bandwagon are using online marketplaces where they can buy supplies for £80 a litre.
Online sources are often unpasteurized, meaning the milk has not been heat-treated to kill potential pathogens, and even if sellers say they have, there is no guarantee that this has actually been done or that it has been done correctly.
Previous audits of breast milk sold online found that 93 percent of 254 samples contained detectable levels of bacteria.
Additionally, three out of four samples tested positive for Gram-negative bacteria, a family of organisms that can cause human illness, such as E. coli and salmonella.
Like cow’s milk, breast milk is also subject to potential food safety risks, such as whether it is stored in a food-safe container and at the proper temperature.
However, it also carries its own unique risks.
Breast milk can harbor a number of pathogens that can be transmitted through bodily fluids.
This can occur naturally between mother and child, as well as anyone else who consumes the liquid.
Pathogens that can be transmitted through breast milk include HIV and syphilis, as well as hepatitis B and C.
Because many of these infections can be present in breastfeeding women without symptoms, many women may be unknowingly transmitting these pathogens.
Substances such as some drugs, both medicinal and illicit, can also leak into breast milk.
Professor Edzard Ernst, a world-renowned expert in complementary medicine at the University of Exeter, said the only adults who saw any benefit from breast milk were those who sold it.
“The only benefit I can conceive of from breast milk supplements is that it will benefit the bank account of those charlatans who try to convince adult consumers that it is good for their health,” she said.
A selection of British mums or mums-to-be selling their breast milk online and inviting men to place an order.
Kourtney Kardashian has caused confusion among her fans by admitting that she drank an entire glass of her own breast milk
The star previously shared a snap of herself pumping breast milk in a low-cut black dress, after welcoming son Rocky with husband Travis Barker last year.
“In fact, not only is it unhealthy, it can even be harmful. That’s why I want to warn people not to waste their money on these types of products.”
Experts also told MailOnline that consuming breast milk “fresh from the source” is very different to drinking liquid bought over the internet and carries less significant risks.
The so-called Body Coach isn’t the only celebrity who has a weakness for a glass of breast milk.
Earlier this year, reality star Kourtney Kardashian admitted to drinking an entire glass of her own booze while feeling unwell.
Breast milk is only considered safe to consume if it has been tested for traces of diseases and medications and has been properly pasteurized and stored.
These processes are carried out in NHS milk banks which accept voluntary donations from mothers and mothers-to-be.
Breast milk is 88 percent water, but the remaining 12 percent provides everything a baby needs to grow, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins and minerals.
Research has shown that breast milk is not ideal for adults looking to bulk up because it contains less protein than other milk sources.
Some British sellers of breast milk are making huge profits from the so-called liquid gold, selling it for £4 an ounce, the equivalent of about £80 a pint.
One example is seller Chelslou2, who advertises herself as a “healthy 24-year-old woman” from Merseyside and says her “milk is produced fresh to order” and she is happy to provide it to people seeking it for “alternative use”, including men.
She is just one of dozens of companies offering breast milk directly to men or to “any willing recipients,” as one profile puts it.
