How Beneficial Bacteria in Breast Milk Support Infant Nutrition and Development

The Role of Breast Milk Microbes: It turns out that breast milk not only nourishes the baby directly but also plays a vital role in supporting the baby’s gut microbiome. These microbes, such as Bifidobacterium infantis,1 have been shown to have significant impacts on the immune system, digestion, and even brain development in infants. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these processes have remained largely unknown.

Unlocking the Power of Nitrogen: A decade ago, researchers led by David Sela noticed something intriguing. B. infantis, a beneficial bacterium commonly found in the infant gut, had the remarkable ability to break down urea—a waste product typically excreted by mammals in urine. Since breast milk contains a significant amount of urea, the team hypothesized that these microbes might be utilizing this waste product as a nitrogen source within the infant gut.

Breast milk has long been recognized as the gold standard for infant nutrition, providing essential nutrients and antibodies for optimal growth and development. However, recent research conducted by nutrition scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has shed new light on the intricate relationship between breast milk, beneficial gut microbes, and pediatric health. Their findings reveal how these beneficial bacteria in the infant gut utilize nitrogen from human milk, contributing to the overall nutrition and development of babies.

Recycling Nitrogen for Gut Microbiome Health: In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Gut Microbes, the researchers, led by senior author David Sela, elucidated how B. infantis utilizes urea from human milk to recycle nitrogen within the infant’s gut microbiome. This finding opens up new possibilities for improving infant health worldwide by identifying molecular targets to enhance nitrogen metabolism efficiency.

Implications for Infant Nutrition: Understanding the role of the gut microbiome in infant nutrition is crucial not only for healthy infants but also for those who are premature or more susceptible to diseases and health conditions. This newfound knowledge may lead to targeted nutritional interventions and diagnostic tools to optimize infant nutrition and address potential health challenges faced by infants in both developed and developing countries.

Reference

1: Probiotics to Prebiotics and Their Clinical Use, Yuichiro Yamashiro, Encyclopedia of Infection and Immunity, Elsevier, 2022, Pages 674-688, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818731-9.00162-2

2: Xiaomeng You, Asha Rani, Ezgi Özcan, Yang Lyu, David A. Sela. Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis utilizes human milk urea to recycle nitrogen within the infant gut microbiome. Gut Microbes, 2023; 15 (1) DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2192546