A Canadian study suggests children who were not breastfed while receiving antibiotics in the first year of life had triple the risk of developing asthma because they lacked specific protective sugars found in human milk.

Dr. Stuart Turvey, a lead researcher, said antibiotics such as amoxicillin are commonly prescribed to treat a wide range of infections in young children, but the medications have also been linked with disrupting the development of a healthy gut microbiome.

害羞草研究所淲hat we害羞草研究所檝e known for some time was that babies that got antibiotics early in life were at higher risk of having asthma at school age and beyond but no one knew why,害羞草研究所� said Turvey, a pediatrician at BC Children害羞草研究所檚 Hospital.

The study, published Wednesday in the journal Med, found that sugars in breast milk, which make up about 20 per cent of its indigestible carbohydrates, promote the growth of the B. infantis bacteria to help make other bacteria in order to train the immune system and prevent the development of asthma and allergies.

Researchers also said they identified the breast milk sugars that offer this protection, which could potentially be used to supplement formula for infants that need antibiotics but for whom breastfeeding is not an option.

害羞草研究所淐hildren are born with pretty much no bacteria,害羞草研究所� Turvey said. 害羞草研究所淭hen these communities (of bacteria) start to build, with pioneer species that help the other ones colonize. So the timing matters,害羞草研究所� he said of when people are prescribed antibiotics, which 害羞草研究所渃onfuse害羞草研究所� kids害羞草研究所� immune systems in the first few months of their lives.

The research involved a total of 2,521 children in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto. It showed 17 per cent of the kids received antibiotics in the first year of life.

Three groups of kids were compared 害羞草研究所� those who received no antibiotics, those who were given them while being breastfed and those who got them without being breastfed.

When a subset of 1,338 children were three months old, researchers collected a dirty diaper to test the stool. A year later, another diaper was collected for a stool sample from the same kids, said Turvey, adding the expense of the relatively new technology prohibited all of the children害羞草研究所檚 samples from being tested.

害羞草研究所淲e got the poop samples and then we did metagenomics, a type of genetic sequencing, to identify all the bacteria by the DNA that害羞草研究所檚 there. This (B. infantis) came up as a really strong signal,害羞草研究所� he said.

At age five, all the children were assessed for asthma. Those who did notreceive breast milk but had been prescribed antibiotics were at three times the risk of having the condition.

害羞草研究所淭he children who received the antibiotics while breastfeeding weren害羞草研究所檛 at any higher risk than the children whodid not have antibiotics,害羞草研究所� Turvey said.

害羞草研究所淥ne important thing was that any breastfeeding was protective. So it wasn害羞草研究所檛 just exclusive breastfeeding, with no other form of nutrition.害羞草研究所�

Asthma is a top reason for kids visiting for emergency rooms and doctors害羞草研究所� offices, often while missing school, he said, adding that despite the findings, amoxicillin is a potentially life-saving drug for very young kids.

The study findings could spur clinical trials to determine if the natural sugars in breast milk can be used to supplement formula for the benefit of people who can害羞草研究所檛 breastfeed their children, Turvey said. Chemists could make synthetic versions of the sugars, similar to some that are already in formula, he added.

害羞草研究所淢ore knowledge about the protective ones could inform that process.害羞草研究所�

Ailbhe Smyth, a volunteer with a Vancouver chapter of La Leche League, which supports breastfeeding mothers, said those who are struggling with what is often a challenging experience, as it was for her, should not take the findings as another reason to feel guilty about being 害羞草研究所渁 perfect parent.害羞草研究所�

Fewer public health clinics were offering support through lactation specialists even before the pandemic and some women are opting for private consultants to avoid long wait lists, Smyth said.

害羞草研究所淏ut that害羞草研究所檚 still a barrier. Some people just don害羞草研究所檛 have the extra money to do that,害羞草研究所� she said, adding: 害羞草研究所淚 think support doesn害羞草研究所檛 only need to come from the health-care system because it has to come from society in general.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所擟amille Bains, The Canadian Press