Research shows that American babies lack key gut microorganisms, fueling allergies
The prevalence of allergies and other chronic diseases is rising, with the number of food allergies in the United States increasing by 50% between 2007 and 2021. These allergies can be life-threatening, and understanding their root causes is more important than ever.
A new study brings experts closer to doing so. The findings were published in the journal Communication Biology on Tuesday, June 24 Bifidobacterium The guts from the baby. These bacteria play a crucial role in breaking down breast milk, especially complex sugars called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS). A century ago, they were abundant in the microorganisms of breastfed babies, but their prevalence gradually decreased in infants in industrialized countries.
Preliminary results from My Baby Biome study – a large-scale study of the gut microbiome of infants in the United States – found that approximately 25% of babies lack detectable Bifidobacterium. Researchers believe this increases their risk of developing noncommunicable diseases.
“It is in this crowd that our number is low Bifidobacterium Or change Bifidobacterium We see that the risk of noncommunicable disease conditions is very high, or atopic disease conditions such as food allergies, eczema, atopic dermatitis and asthma.
According to the company, my baby biome is by far one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys of infant gut in the United States. This longitudinal study aims to monitor gut microbial and health outcomes in hundreds of babies over seven years. The results published Tuesday came from the first two years of the study, during which the researchers collected and analyzed samples of 412 four-week-to-12-week infants that “represent U.S. population diversity.”
Researchers found that 76% of infants in the United States lack levels of gut Bifidobacterium25% cannot detect Bifidobacterium. These bacteria play a vital role in the health and development of babies, especially when protecting them from chronic diseases. Multiple studies have shown Bifidobacterium It has disappeared from infant microorganisms for decades, mainly due to dietary changes, cesarean section, antibiotic use and hygiene. According to the researchers, this trend coincides with the increase in noncommunicable diseases.
A quarter of babies are totally lacking Bifidobacterium It may sound surprising, but UC San Diego pediatrics professor Jack Gilbert was actually surprised at how low that number felt. Some previous estimates show that 50% to 60% of infants lack one Bifidobacterium Called B. Long dragon Infantis, he told Gizmodo in an email. This subspecies is known for their ability to digest HMO.
From 412 participants, the researchers underwent 210 follow-up health surveys at the age of two. Among these infants, 30% reported poor health outcomes, 12.4% reported allergies, 21.0% reported eczema or dermatitis, and 3.3% reported asthma. Statistical analysis shows that infants with insufficient or total lack of levels Bifidobacterium – Who Accounting for 76% of participants, it faces greater risk of chronic immune disease. More importantly, researchers discovered that the baby Bifidobacterium It has a protective effect and reduces the relative risk of the population.
This is not the first study to have a poorly connected baby Bifidobacterium Gilbert said that the risk of chronic immune conditions is increased. He explained that previous research has shown that when these bacteria digest HMO, they shape the gut microbiome dynamics, helping train the immune system to respond. In addition, nutritional factors produced by breast lactose breakdown support the development of endocrine, nerve and immune cells that prevent the immune system from attacking healthy cells, he added.
Gilbert said investigating the role of infant microbiome in the rise of noncommunicable diseases “is central to the health of our population,” Gilbert said.
Kuller agreed. Over the next few years of my baby biopopulation research, she and her colleagues will work hard to understand from Bifidobacterium– Lack of time over time explores their impact on the risk of neurological diseases, obesity and even diabetes. She said the release of the microbial mechanisms behind these diseases could lay the foundation for better interventions.
