Across the United States, new mothers are turning to a surprising side hustle: selling their breast milk online to bodybuilders seeking muscle gains. Fueled by fitness forums and social media, this growing market promotes breast milk as a "clean" superfood for performance and recovery. Dr. Kunal Sood, MD, a double-board-certified physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine, highlights this trend, noting, "Some moms are actually selling breast milk to bodybuilders claiming it helps build muscle." Yet, scientific research paints a starkly different picture, debunking performance claims and warning of significant health risks in this unregulated trade.
New moms, often producing excess milk, are capitalizing on demand from fitness enthusiasts, particularly bodybuilders, through online platforms like classified sites and forums. Milk sold to adults often commands premium prices, sometimes four times higher than for infants. As the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine notes, "Milk is often sold at a premium for adult buyers, with sellers charging as much as four times the price for non-infant feeding sales." Some sellers earn hundreds of dollars daily, driven by economic pressures and the accessibility of digital marketplaces.1
This trend, gaining traction in the early 2010s and surging post-2020, thrives in a digital ecosystem where sellers post detailed ads with photos, prices per ounce, and claims about the milk’s source. Buyers, lured by promises of immune boosts and muscle growth, arrange frozen shipments via courier. Unlike licensed milk banks, which prioritize infant nutrition, these informal channels bypass safety protocols, raising serious concerns.
Bodybuilders tout breast milk as a natural supplement for gains and recovery, but science refutes these claims. Dr. Sood explains, "Nutritionally, breast milk isn't designed for adults or performance enhancement. It's nearly 88% water with only 2.5 grams of protein per cup compared to 7.9 grams in cow's milk and 28 grams in most protein powders." Research confirms, "Nutritionally, there is less protein in breast milk than other milks like cow’s milk."1 Moreover, "No scientific study has evidenced that direct adult consumption of human milk for medicinal properties offers anything more than a placebo effect." In contrast, Dr. Sood notes, "Whey protein is well studied, improves nitrogen balance, and supports muscle protein synthesis over time," making it a proven choice for strength training.1
The dangers of raw, unpasteurized breast milk bought online are substantial. Dr. Sood warns, "Buying breast milk online also poses real safety risks, including bacterial contamination, disease transmission, and exposure to unknown medications or hormones." A 2013 study found that "Research into breast milk bought online identified the presence of detectable bacteria in 93% of samples, with Gram-negative bacteria in 74% of samples."1 Contamination often stems from improper handling, unsterilized equipment, or inadequate storage. The study adds, "Many online sellers are selling to multiple clients, and thus are buying containers online, posing the risk of high levels of Bisphenol A, a synthetic chemical linked to health problems and banned for use in infant bottles in the EU and Canada, being present in the plastic."
Infectious diseases are a major concern, with unscreened milk potentially carrying viruses like cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, HIV, or syphilis. Researchers note, "The lack of pasteurization and testing not only indicates a bacterial risk but breast milk also exposes consumers to a host of infectious diseases, including cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, HIV-1/2, HTLV-I&II, and syphilis." Sellers’ claims of prior testing are unreliable, as "Many do not realize that serological screening needs to be undertaken regularly, as a one-off test may produce a false negative during the initial period after the virus was contracted."
Adulteration is also common, with some sellers diluting milk to boost profits: "Milk bought online may also contain cow’s milk, water, or another milk like soy, if the seller has added a substance to increase the selling volume, as most milk is sold by ounce volume." A 2014 study found that "Few provider postings reflected measures to potentially reduce risks to recipients: 20% mentioned using a healthy handling/hygiene practice, 11% offered specifics about infectious disease screening, 51% mentioned limiting/abstaining from 1+ substances."2
The informal breast milk market operates in a legal gray area. As David Stephanie Dawson explains, "Under the current state and federal legal regime, informal sellers of human milk may be liable for their actions only under very limited circumstances." While the FDA has issued warnings, no comprehensive regulations target adult sales, leaving consumers vulnerable. Licensed milk banks, regulated in states like California, focus solely on infant nutrition.3
Health professionals, including Dr. Sood, strongly advise against purchasing breast milk online for adult use. He concludes, "If the goal is strength, breast milk isn't the shortcut. It's an unregulated gamble with less protein than a glass of milk." Researchers echo this, stating, "Human milk consumption by adults purchasing milk online is ill-advised." For bodybuilders, proven supplements like whey protein remain the safer, evidence-based choice.
References:
Steele, S., Foell, J., Martyn, J., & Freitag, A. (2015). More than a lucrative liquid: the risks for adult consumers of human breast milk bought from the online market. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 108(6), 208-209. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0141076815588539
Keim, S.A., McNamara, K.A., Jayadeva, C.M., et al. (2014). Breast Milk Sharing via the Internet: The Practice and Health and Safety Considerations. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 18, 1471–1479. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10995-013-1387-6
Dawson, D.S. (2011). Legal Commentary on the Internet Sale of Human Milk. Public Health Reports, 126(2), 165–166. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3056027/
(Rh/VK/MSM)