A new peer-reviewed study reveals that most U.S. babies may be suffering from a severe deficiency in a key bacterium key to breast milk use and immune system development, as well as protection against gut pathogens associated with common neonatal conditions such as colic and diaper rash.
According to the study published today in Scientific Reports, about nine out of ten children are missing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) in their gut microbiome, a type of bacteria that is very important in the health and development of babies. This particular type of gut bacteria has been widely documented as having the most beneficial effect on a baby’s gut health and possessing the nutritional capabilities of whole milk solution.
The study is the largest to date to measure the widespread deficiency of gut bacteria among U.S. babies, and the reduced activity caused by their gut microbes.
Most babies are deficient in this major gut bacterium from the earliest weeks of life, and this is completely off the radar for most parents and pediatricians, alike. This study provides the clearest picture to date of the extent of this issue and highlights the need to address it. B. infantis deficiency in the child’s cleft palate from the beginning. “
Karl Sylvester, MD, Co-Author of Research, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Maternal Child Health Research, Stanford University
B. infantis it had been widely regarded as one of the most common bacteria in babies’ GI fields, hence it is not surprising from the widespread presence of healthy babies out there. When present, B. infantis breaks down carbohydrates in human breast milk called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) that are otherwise accessible to the baby. In fact, B. infantis different from others Bifidobacteria species in the specific conversion of human breast milk and in particular its ability to break down HMOs into usable nutrients. Perhaps more importantly, B. infantis it is increasingly linked to the development of infants’ immune system, protecting the intestinal tract of babies from potentially dangerous bacteria as well as lower frequency of common childhood conditions such as colic broth and diaper.
The researchers also found that potentially dangerous bacteria contained, on average, 93 percent of all bacteria in infants’ gut gut, with the most common bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Clostridium difficile (C. diff). Many of these bacteria are known to harbor genes associated with antibiotic resistance. In fact, 325 antibiotic-resistant genes were found in gut bacteria, with more than half (54 percent) of those genes being the bacterial-resistant ones for many antibiotics.
“The baby’s gut is a white slate at birth, and it gets bacteria quickly from the mother and the environment. It surprised us not only with the widespread lack of good bacteria, but with the surprisingly high presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and an environment of antibiotic resistance seem to be so prevalent, ”said Dr. Sylvester. “The baby gut midge in the U.S. is clearly abusive, and we believe this is an essential trait that underlies many of the childhood and childhood diseases we see today across the country. . “
Audit methodology
Researchers collected fecal samples from 227 babies under 6 months of age when visiting children’s offices in five different states (CA, GA, OR, PA, SC). The samples were analyzed according to the bacterial type and extent present, which represents the bacterial production in the infants’ intestines. The fecal samples were evaluated for bacterial ability to utilize whole human breast milk – an indication for the presence of health-promoting bacteria, as well as for the presence of antibiotic-resistant genes in the bacteria. The researchers did not include samples from babies with jaundice, those who were actively receiving antibiotic treatment, or those who were diagnosed with problems with carbohydrates in the diet. within them, because of the potential impact of such conditions on the ability of the baby’s gut to normalize processes.
Newborn gut and the effect on newborn health
The baby’s gut needs the presence of thousands of different bacteria to perform a variety of functions – from biological processes to the development of biological structures and systems. Infant gut dysbiosis is characterized by a severe imbalance between beneficial and potentially pathogenic bacteria in the GI areas of newborns. There has been strong evidence indicating a significant loss of Bifidobacteria in infant splitting over the past 100 years, with research revealing a number of factors including increased section C delivery, increased use of antibiotics and increased use of infant formula.
As a result of loss B. infantis, the baby’s gut is at increased risk for negative outcomes including suboptimal access to the full value of human breast milk, development of the immune system, increase in harmful gut pathogens due to increased gut pH, and adverse wall effects intestinal of the child.
Source:
Magazine Reference:
Casaburi, G., et al. (2021) Metagenomic perspectives on the structure and function of a baby midge community across multiple sites in the United States. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80583-9.