Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Life

Find out how breastfeeding boosts the immune system

The latest findings in support of breastfeeding come from an analysis of various studies that have recently been collated. The finding arose from an investigation into the hygiene hypothesis, a theory which suggests that exposure to microorganisms during infancy helps the immune system to fully develop.

The issue at play seems to be the role that the mother’s breast milk plays in populating the microbiome of the baby’s gut. The microbiome is a term describing the microorganisms in the gastrointestional, tract and the associated genetic elements. Various strands of research show that the microbiome plays a role in influencing health and susceptibility to disease. In particular, breast milk helps to reduce the risk of developing asthma.

The review of the different studies indicated that the types of bacteria present in the gut help to shape or hinder the development of immune cells. This occurs because breastfed babies appear to have distinct microbiome compositions compared to non-breastfed babies.

It was also found that breastfed babies are at a decreased risk of developing allergies to pets and tend to experience fewer episodes of asthma.

The results have yet to be published. The research was undertaken by a consortium of scientists based at George Regents University, University of California-San Francisco and University of Michigan.

In related news, new research has discovered that a baby’s diet during the first few months of life influences the microbes in the baby’s gut. In turn, this influences baby’s ability to move from milk to solid foods and it could also affect health in later life.

Avatar photo
Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

You may also like:

World

Despite being a major oil and gas producer, Norway has adopted the most ambitious electric vehicle (EV) objective in the world.

Social Media

US tech giant Meta illegally harvested sensitive data including on sexual orientation from nearly a million South Korean Facebook users.

Life

One in five had concerning levels of chemicals, like lead, PFAS, and phthalates - a group of chemicals - often used to make plastic...

Social Media

The real danger of deepfakes lies in how easily the technology can now be accessed.