Potential health benefits of sphingolipids in milk and dairy products

Sphingolipids are found in all eukaryotic and some prokaryotic cells. Milk and dairy products are one of the most important sources of sphingolipids. This compounds participate in a variety of indispensable metabolic, neurological, and intracellular signaling processes. Sphingolipids and their derivatives are highly bioactive compounds with anti-cancer, bacteriostatic and cholesterol-lowering properties. Therefore, this review focuses on the potential health benefits of the milk and dairy sphingolipids.