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Tuesday March 4, 2025
Nursing for at least six months can stimulate beneficial intestinal bacteria linked to better heart health for years later.
What
An observational study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) revealed that infants who had more diversified bacteria in their intestine had lower infantile blood pressure, and this protection association was stronger if they were breastfed for at least six months. The results published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
For research, investigators examined the data of 526 children registered in a prospective study in Denmark. They looked for links between intestinal infants bacteria, which can be influenced by nutrition and supports a variety of health functionsand the blood pressure of childhood. To assess this, they collected fecal samples to analyze bacteria in infants’ intestines during their first week, month and year of life. Three and six years later, they measured the children’s blood pressure.
Researchers found that children with more diverse intestinal bacteria at one month had lower blood pressure six years later. They then evaluated the influence of breastfeeding, which was measured in this study for durations of at least six months. They discovered that in breastfed children for at least six months, the effect of falling blood pressure to have more diverse bacteria in their intestine was even stronger. More specifically, those who have a greater diversity of intestinal bacteria throughout the first month of life had a systolic blood pressure which was about 2 mm Hg lower six years later if they were breastfed for at least six months.
Researchers think there can be several reasons for these associations. Some intestinal bacteria have evolved specialized organic machines which allows them to convert carbohydrates otherwise indigestible in breast milk in calories and substances that can be used by the body. Specific Bifidobacterium species, including B. InfantisAre superstars when it comes to breaking down these carbohydrates and transforming them into short chain fatty acids that can influence blood pressure and support cardiovascular health.
In infants who are not breastfed, bacteria that do not have carbohydrates of breast milk to eat can rather decompose the carbohydrates that line the intestines. This could lead to a condition called “fleeing intestine”, where bacteria and fat could enter the blood circulation. An intestine fleeing has been linked to inflammation and an increase in blood pressure in adults.
In addition, researchers have found that certain types of bacteria, including H. pyloriwere present in some infants and these bacteria were linked to an increase in blood pressure for years later. H. Pylori, which can be transmitted from one mother to another, can create persistent levels of low inflammation and can influence a “fleeing intestine”.
To make participants in the study as comparable as possible, the researchers took into account the medical history of a mother, their diet during pregnancy, the complications of pregnancy, when and how a child was born and how long they were breastfed.
About 4% to 7% of children worldwide have high blood pressure, which can start when the fetus develops in the uterus. These rates have doubled since 2020, which is why researchers are studying factors that can compensate for these risks and improve cardiovascular health.
The study was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute grant (NHLBI) K01HL141589.
WHO
Charlotte Pratt, Ph.D., RD, acting chief, Direction of clinical applications and prevention, NHLBI
Study
Liu T, Stokholm J, Zhang M, et al. Intestinal infant microbiota and childhood blood pressure: prospective associations and modifying role of breastfeeding. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025; DOI: 10.1161 / JAHA. 124.037447.
About the National Institute of the Heart, Lungs and Blood (NHLBI): NHLBI is the world leader in conducting and supporting research in heart, pulmonary and bloody diseases and sleep disorders that advance scientific knowledge, improves public health and saves lives. For more information, visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
On the National Institutes of Health (NIH):The NIH, the country’s medical research agency, includes 27 institutes and centers and is a component of the American department of health and social services. NIH is the main federal agency that leads and supports basic, clinical and translational medical research, and studies the causes, treatments and remedies for common and rare diseases. For more information on NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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