Why baby probiotics are a thing now
Why it matters: Most U.S. babies lack key gut bacteria, per new research, fueling a boom in new prebiotic and probiotic products — and fresh parental confusion.
The big picture: Unlike adult microbiomes that are already well-established, new research has found that fresh baby guts are quite responsive to probiotics, says Sharon Donovan, a pediatric nutrition expert and professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Context: Probiotics are the "good" bacteria, and prebiotics are food for these bacteria.
When infants have enough regular prebiotics — which are found naturally in breast milk — that helps the good bacteria thrive.
What's happening: About 3 in 4 infants had insufficient levels of a bacteria called Bifidobacteria, putting them at risk of chronic disease like allergies and asthma, according to initial baby gut study findings published in Nature Communications Biology.
Even babies born vaginally and breastfed "have compromised gut microbiomes," says Stephanie Culler, study co-author, scientist and CEO of Persephone Biosciences.
By the numbers: Researchers analyzed stool samples from more than 400 infant participants. The study is set to run for seven years.
Zoom in: More than 9 in 10 infants lacked a specific kind of Bifidobacterium known as B. infantis, which has "superstar powers," because it's the only Bifidobacterium that can consume all of the breast milk prebiotics, Culler tells Axios.
It suppresses bad bacteria, and helps the immune system develop properly, she says.
Zoom out: The increase in cesarean sections, formula feeding and antibiotic use over generations could be some of the factors eliminating this bacteria in U.S. babies, researchers speculate.
The intrigue: Although B. infantis has largely been wiped from the industrialized world, high levels of it have been found in Old Order Mennonite and Amish babies.
And as Americans have overall gotten more allergies in recent years, the Amish haven't.
State of play: A number of formulas include prebiotics meant to support the growth of Bifidobacteria.
Legacy U.S. formula brands Similac and Enfamil offer blends of prebiotics like the kind naturally found in breast milk (HMOs).
Newer brands ByHeart and Nara Organics contain an organic lactose-derived prebiotic (GOS).
What's next: More probiotic baby products are coming.
Brands like BioGaia already sell drops with L. reuteri meant for colicky infants.
Others, like Evivo, include B. infantis.
Persephone Biosciences — the company behind the major baby microbiome study — will launch a supplement in September that has both B. infantis and prebiotics.
Between the lines: Probiotic supplements aren't FDA-regulated like infant formula is — and the FDA raised safety concerns about probiotics after a preterm infant died in 2023.
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found probiotics were linked to lower death rates in preemies, it says in a clinical report that there's not enough evidence to recommend routine use. The group warns that they could pose risks to very sick or immunocompromised babies.
The AAP tells Axios it is updating its guidance on probiotics, but hasn't said when it will be released.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
6 hours ago
- Axios
How Trump is making pot a MAGA issue
President Trump is opening the door to reclassifying marijuana, potentially allowing the GOP to claim another health issue that's long been associated with Democrats. Why it matters: The administration has already flipped the political script when it comes to banning food dyes, calling for an end to animal lab testing and embracing psychedelics for mental health. Rescheduling marijuana could be a big step toward establishing an interstate cannabis trade — and turning a policy long sought by congressional Democrats and promoted by the Biden administration into reality. Driving the news: Trump brought up the subject during a recent event with donors at his Bedminster, New Jersey, country club after marijuana companies contributed millions of dollars to his political organizations, the Wall Street Journal first reported. While falling short of legalization, designating pot to have medical value and less dangerous than its Schedule I designation would be a major jolt to cannabis companies that run on thin margins, per Axios' Dan Primack. It would allow them to deduct business expenses on their taxes and also reduce restrictions on cannabis research. The industry has mounted"a very powerful PR effort," Kevin Sabet, founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana who served in the White House Office of Drug Control Policy under three administrations, told Axios. "They've spent hundreds of millions of dollars in total to influence the president from Florida onward, whether it's inauguration, whether it's million-dollar-plate fundraisers in New Jersey. They are going all out because they want this tax break." Catch up quick: Polling from the Pew Research Center and others have shown increasing support for marijuana legalization across the political spectrum, with 88% favoring medical or recreational use. "Cannabis has become a less partisan [issue] over time, and this has been accelerated by the proliferation of intoxicating hemp products," Beau Kilmer, co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, told Axios. "Heck, I was just in Indiana where someone could buy THC drinks in grocery stores and bars — I don't even see that here in California." While much of Trump's orbit has been more circumspect about making such a change, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a notable exception, Sabet said. Kennedy supported legalization of marijuana during his presidential campaign and said it could open up more research into risks and benefits, although he has also warned about potential "catastrophic impacts" on users. There's still a big difference between rescheduling a drug and federal legalization, which demonstrates the political winds of change are moving slowly. Multiple state ballot initiatives seeking to legalize recreational pot have failed over the last several years. Trump, like Biden, is a teetotaler, and neither has expressed great enthusiasm for legalization over the years, said Jonathan Caulkins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. "The way to think about it is some people wanted Biden to legalize. Biden didn't want to do that, so he said, 'Well, I'll suggest rescheduling, which will make some people think that we've made a big change, but it isn't really,'" Caulkins said. Friction point: The rescheduling of marijuana means the government would be officially recognizing its medicinal uses. That's difficult when the quality and consistency of the botanical version of the drug isn't like more conventional pharmaceuticals, Caulkins said. The move also would transfer cannabis to the purview of the Food and Drug Administration, which could create headaches for the agency. The FDA would be "between a rock and a hard place," Caulkins said. "They either have to ignore their own rules and regulations and say, we're just going to let the cannabis happen without the usual standards for medicine, or we're going to bite the bullet and crack down on a multibillion-dollar industry that's been operating for years now." The big picture: A rescheduling would be further evidence of the MAGA world's ability to take the reins on issues once associated with the progressive movement. "For the left, it's been much more about sort of social justice and righting the wrongs of the drug war," Sabet said. On the other hand: "You have part of the MAGA wing that has embraced this," he said. "It's about business, it's about money." Yes, but: This is already stirring up some disagreement among Trump's base. "I hope this doesn't happen," Turning Point USA founder and key MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk posted on X. "Everything already smells like weed, which is ridiculous. Let's make it harder to ruin public spaces, not easier." Relaxing marijuana rules also is stirring concern among state GOP lawmakers in states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Even administration officials such as FDA commissioner Marty Makary have posted warnings about health risks from cannabis use. Reality check: Trump was vague on the timing of any move when he confirmed the WSJ's reporting on Monday, saying: "We're only looking at that. It's early."
Axios
a day ago
- Axios
Texas woman claiming she was tricked into abortion sues pill provider
A Texas woman sued a prominent abortion pill supplier and a former sexual partner, alleging he laced a drink with medication that he obtained from the service, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court. The big picture: Anti-abortion attorneys general have targeted telemedicine service providers that send abortion pills to patients with the protection of "shield laws," like Aid Access, the Austrian-based group named in the lawsuit. The woman is represented by former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell, a prominent anti-abortion attorney. He previously has represented men who wanted to bring legal actions against people who facilitated their partners' abortion, per The Washington Post. Driving the news: The wrongful-death suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleges that the man who impregnated the woman laced a hot chocolate he prepared for her with abortion pills he obtained from Aid Access, ending her pregnancy. The woman argued in the complaint that the nonprofit and its founder were criminally responsible for the man's alleged violations of Texas code because "they knowingly aided his provision of abortion-inducing drugs to a pregnant woman." It also alleges the organization violated federal law by delivering the medication via the mail. It cites U.S. law that bans the mailing of materials deemed "obscene, lewd, lascivious," such as those related to abortion. "Performing or assisting an illegal abortion in Texas is an act of murder," the lawsuit reads. Zoom out: Aid Access, which did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment, says on its website that it has facilitated over 200,000 "online abortions" to women in the U.S. since it was founded in 2018. Despite years of bans and restrictions on reproductive care, the number of abortions in the U.S. continued to rise in 2024, Axios' April Rubin reported. Texas had the country's highest number of medication abortions via telehealth under shield law protections. State of play: Texas law bans abortion in nearly all cases — with exceptions for when the mother's life or a major bodily function is at risk. The lawsuit comes as a GOP lawmaker in the Lone Star State is reintroducing legislation that would allow lawsuits targeting the use of medication to end pregnancies, CBS News reported. That proposal, per CBS, also takes aim at shield laws that safeguard clinicians offering telehealth abortion care to patients in states with restrictions. Flashback: Texas has emerged as a hub for legal challenges to abortion pills. Last month, a Texas man sued a California doctor who allegedly mailed his girlfriend abortion pills. And earlier this year, a Texas judge ordered a doctor to pay a penalty of more than $100,000 and stop prescribing and sending abortion pills to patients in Texas under New York's shield law. But a New York county clerk has refused to file judgment against the doctor, citing the New York state shield law, prompting legal action from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Axios
a day ago
- Axios
Why baby probiotics are a thing now
Gut health, a popular topic in wellness circles for years, is now the latest frontier in baby products. Why it matters: Most U.S. babies lack key gut bacteria, per new research, fueling a boom in new prebiotic and probiotic products — and fresh parental confusion. The big picture: Unlike adult microbiomes that are already well-established, new research has found that fresh baby guts are quite responsive to probiotics, says Sharon Donovan, a pediatric nutrition expert and professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Context: Probiotics are the "good" bacteria, and prebiotics are food for these bacteria. When infants have enough regular prebiotics — which are found naturally in breast milk — that helps the good bacteria thrive. What's happening: About 3 in 4 infants had insufficient levels of a bacteria called Bifidobacteria, putting them at risk of chronic disease like allergies and asthma, according to initial baby gut study findings published in Nature Communications Biology. Even babies born vaginally and breastfed "have compromised gut microbiomes," says Stephanie Culler, study co-author, scientist and CEO of Persephone Biosciences. By the numbers: Researchers analyzed stool samples from more than 400 infant participants. The study is set to run for seven years. Zoom in: More than 9 in 10 infants lacked a specific kind of Bifidobacterium known as B. infantis, which has "superstar powers," because it's the only Bifidobacterium that can consume all of the breast milk prebiotics, Culler tells Axios. It suppresses bad bacteria, and helps the immune system develop properly, she says. Zoom out: The increase in cesarean sections, formula feeding and antibiotic use over generations could be some of the factors eliminating this bacteria in U.S. babies, researchers speculate. The intrigue: Although B. infantis has largely been wiped from the industrialized world, high levels of it have been found in Old Order Mennonite and Amish babies. And as Americans have overall gotten more allergies in recent years, the Amish haven't. State of play: A number of formulas include prebiotics meant to support the growth of Bifidobacteria. Legacy U.S. formula brands Similac and Enfamil offer blends of prebiotics like the kind naturally found in breast milk (HMOs). Newer brands ByHeart and Nara Organics contain an organic lactose-derived prebiotic (GOS). What's next: More probiotic baby products are coming. Brands like BioGaia already sell drops with L. reuteri meant for colicky infants. Others, like Evivo, include B. infantis. Persephone Biosciences — the company behind the major baby microbiome study — will launch a supplement in September that has both B. infantis and prebiotics. Between the lines: Probiotic supplements aren't FDA-regulated like infant formula is — and the FDA raised safety concerns about probiotics after a preterm infant died in 2023. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found probiotics were linked to lower death rates in preemies, it says in a clinical report that there's not enough evidence to recommend routine use. The group warns that they could pose risks to very sick or immunocompromised babies. The AAP tells Axios it is updating its guidance on probiotics, but hasn't said when it will be released.
