The following is a summary of “Infant Feeding, Gut Permeability, and Gut Inflammation Markers,” published in the June 2023 issue of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition by Koivusaari, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to investigate the association between food intake and markers of gut inflammation and permeability in infants. Specifically, they aimed to determine whether breast milk and other food intake were linked to concentrations of gut inflammation markers (calprotectin and human β-defensin-2) and gut permeability.
A total of 73 infants were followed from birth to 12 months of age. Dietary information was collected using structured questionnaires, and 3-day weighed food records at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age. Gut permeability was assessed using the lactulose/mannitol test, and calprotectin and human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2) concentrations were measured in stool samples collected at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age. The associations between food intake, gut inflammation markers, and permeability were analyzed using generalized estimating equations.
Gut permeability and inflammation marker concentrations decreased over the first year of life. Intake of hydrolyzed infant formula and fruits and juices was associated with lower intestinal permeability. Intake of fruits, juices, vegetables, and oats was associated with lower concentrations of human β-defensin-2. A higher intake of breast milk was associated with higher fecal calprotectin concentrations, while an intake of fruits and juices, vegetables, and potatoes was associated with lower calprotectin concentrations.
The study findings suggested that a higher breast milk intake may contribute to higher calprotectin concentrations, indicating gut inflammation. On the other hand, intake of certain complementary foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and oats, may decrease gut permeability and concentrations of calprotectin and human β-defensin-2 in the infant’s gut. The findings highlighted the potential impact of different foods on gut health in infancy.
Source: journals.lww.com/jpgn/Abstract/2023/06000/Infant_Feeding,_Gut_Permeability,_and_Gut.24.aspx