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Researchers have discovered that lactating mothers who incorporate folates into their diets may promote improved gut health in their infants. Folate, a crucial vitamin-B for cell growth and reproduction, can be found in various sources like cereal products, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, particularly fortified orange juices. This dietary inclusion of folate enhances the presence of Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), essential carbohydrates in breast milk, which play a protective role against necrotising enterocolitis, a potentially life-threatening acute inflammatory condition affecting premature infants. Caren Biddulph, a dietician and PhD graduate from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, emphasized this significant finding.
Biddulph, who served as the lead author of the study published in the journal Nutrients, highlighted the mounting evidence supporting the various positive impacts of HMOs on infant health, including the reduction of allergies, gastrointestinal issues, and infectious diseases. She emphasized that a breastfeeding mother’s dietary choices can influence the composition of milk, thereby shaping the baby’s gut microbiome and potentially impacting the child’s metabolic health throughout their lifetime.
The study, involving 101 lactating mothers, aimed to explore disparities in breast milk composition to enhance infant nutrition and overall well-being, including the survival rates of premature babies dealing with intestinal diseases. The researchers established a correlation between dietary folate intake and overall HMO levels, while any level of alcohol consumption was linked to decreased levels of specific HMOs. Additionally, they found no significant associations between HMO concentrations and maternal factors such as fat mass, fat-free mass, or other body composition indices.
Biddulph suggested that ensuring adequate folate levels in mothers who are clinically deficient, or at the very least encouraging the consumption of plant-based and fortified folate-rich foods in their regular diets while breastfeeding, could hold merit based on these findings.
