Early establishment of Bifidobacterium-dominant microbiome in planned cesarean-born infants via Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult supplementation: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group pilot study.
Hirokazu Tsuji, Takashi Asahara, Takafumi Sakai et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study assessed Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult (BbrY) given during the first month of life to healthy, full-term Japanese infants born by planned cesarean section. Among 26 infants (14 receiving BbrY and 12 placebo), supplementation increased BbrY detection and counts from day three through six months, while Bifidobacterium levels and proportions remained elevated through one month. The BbrY group also had higher body weight at nine months; the abstract reports no numerical effect estimate for this difference.
Key findings
- The study included 26 infants: 14 assigned to BbrY and 12 to placebo.
- BbrY detection rates and counts were significantly higher from day three to six months in the supplemented group.
- Bifidobacterium and Bifidobacteriaceae levels and proportions remained elevated through one month.
- Total bacterial counts and organic acid concentrations were higher, and fecal pH lower, through day six; body weight was higher at nine months in the BbrY group.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that early probiotic supplementation can alter microbiome development and intestinal acidification in full-term infants born by planned cesarean section, a population described as having an immature microbiota at birth. The reported weight difference is potentially relevant to growth, but the pilot study does not establish that supplementation improves growth or other clinical outcomes.
What to keep in mind
This was a single-center pilot study with only 26 infants; the abstract provides no numerical estimate for the nine-month weight difference.