The impact of human milk oligosaccharides on health from infancy to childhood.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) act as prebiotics in the infant's gut and contribute to the relationship among the host and the gut microbiota. HMO are greatly present in the human milk and their benefit may include: reinforcement of the immune system with a better immune response to infective agents, improved resistance to infections of the gut, immunomodulation against food allergies, asthma, and atopic dermatitis and finally decreased the risk of chronic diseases. In this narrative review will discuss evidence present in literature regarding HMOs in human milk and their supplementation in infant formula.