Mastering the microbiota for a healthy gut feeding update

Said El Deib

Abstract

Background and Aims: Our Study aims to state the evidence-based effect the implementation of newborn infant nutrition with prebiotics and probiotics has been demonstrated to be effective in changing micro flora composition toward the desired breast-feeding pattern and stimulating immune response Methods: Considerable efforts have been made to mimic the composition of human milk by the addition to formula feeding of living bacteria (probiotics), non-digestible fibers, nucleotides and oligosaccharides (prebiotics), and bovine lactoferrin in order to induce breast-fed-similar microbiota colonization in formula-fed infants, with the final aim to stimulate the maturation and proper function of the immune system. Several studies performed in the past decades have clearly demonstrated the complexity of gut microbiota composition and the modulatory effect played by several endogenous and exogenous factors on it. Type of feeding in the first months of life appears as one of the most important determinants of the child and adult well-being, and its protective action seems to rely mainly on its ability to modulate intestinal micro flora composition at early stages of life In recent years, the implementation of milk formula with prebiotics, probiotics, and lactoferrin has been demonstrated to change newborns’ micro flora composition toward breast-feeding pattern and stimulate immune response. Diet has a dominant role over other possible variables such ethnicity, sanitation, hygiene, geography, and climate, in shaping the gut microbiota Conclusions: No definitive results are available regarding the real health improvement, so that breast milk, whose beneficial health-effects are undoubtedly unique, has to be considered the food of choice for infants in the first 6 months of life. For the same reasons, breast-feeding should be encouraged and, at the same time, new researches are advised in order to better define the composition of intestinal microbial ecosystem and the specific interactions amongst diet, microbiota composition, and children health.