Importance of maternal diet in the training of the infant's immune system during gestation and lactation

Abstract

Latest forecasts predict that half of the European population will be allergic within the coming 15 years, with food allergies contributing substantially to the total burden; preventive measures are urgently needed. Unfortunately, all attempted alimentary strategies for primary prevention of allergic diseases through allergen avoidance so far have failed. This also holds true for the prevention of food allergies in breastfed infants by the common practice of excluding certain foods with allergenic potential from the maternal diet. As a preventive measure, therefore, exclusion diets should be discouraged. They can exhaust nursing mothers and negatively impact both their nutritional status as well as their motivation to breastfeed. A prolonged exclusion diet may be indicated solely in cases of doctor-diagnosed food allergy following rigid medical tests (e.g. double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges). Indicated cases usually involve exclusion of only a few food items. Continued breastfeeding is generally important for many aspects of the infant's health, including the training of the infant's immune responses to foreign compounds and avoidance of overshooting inflammatory responses. Recent studies suggest that the presence of maternal dietary proteins in amniotic fluid, cord blood, and human milk might support the induction of tolerance towards solid foods in infants. These are exactly the same species of proteins or remnants thereof that, in comparatively few cases, trigger allergic responses. However, the insight that the proteins of maternal dietary origin in human milk are more likely to be cure (or, more precise, directing prevention) than curse has still largely evaded the attention of health care professionals consulted by worried breastfeeding mothers. In this paper, we summarize recent literature on the importance of exposure to dietary proteins in the establishment of immunological tolerance and hence prevention of allergic disease. Multiple organizations have used the scientific knowledge to build (local) guidelines (e.g. AAAAI, EAACI, BSACI) that can support health care professionals to provide the best strategy to prevent the onset of allergic diseases. We thus hope to clarify existing confusion about the allergenic propensities of dietary proteins during early life, which has contributed to exaggerated fears around the diet of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

Microbiota Composition of Breast Milk from Women of Different Ethnicity from the Manawatu—Wanganui Region of New Zealand

“…The microbiota in human milk is diverse, with the large inter-individual variation linked to geographical and lifestyle differences [28]. Studies have highlighted the importance of maternal diet in promoting infant health [29][30][31], and the vital role that bacteria and oligosaccharides in breast milk play in the development and…”

“…The microbiota in human milk is diverse, with the large inter-individual variation linked to geographical and lifestyle differences [28]. Studies have highlighted the importance of maternal diet in promoting infant health [29][30][31], and the vital role that bacteria and oligosaccharides in breast milk play in the development and functioning of the infant's gut and immune system [13]. Breastfeeding is known to establish a diverse gut microbiota composition with a stable beneficial bacterial population in infants [32,33].…”

The Effect of Digestion and Digestibility on Allergenicity of Food

“…Also, increased hygiene resulting in reduced microbiota diversity [ 6 ] or usage of antibiotics early in life disturbing the microbial balance in the intestine [ 7 ] seem to play a role. Furthermore, the diet of the mother during pregnancy/lactation [ 8 ], and additionally, the type and time point of complementary food introduction for the child could be important [ 9 ]. For the latter, the recommendations have been updated recently [ 10 ], now stating that introduction of allergenic food, e.g., peanuts, even to high-risk children should not be avoided or postponed [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Lactancia materna exclusiva durante los primeros 6 meses de vida como factor protector para asma bronquial en población pediátrica

“…Asimismo, la información utilizada fue generada a partir de fuentes secundarias. Nuestro estudio no evaluó la relación entre asma en edad pediátrica con otras variables como el uso de antibióticos por la madre, la dieta materna, la presencia de alergias en la madre, o la presencia de gestaciones múltiples, siendo estas variables de vital importancia, puesto que estas pueden influir en el desarrollo de asma en niños e interferir con los resultados [14][15][16][17] . No se evalúo el efecto de la lactancia materna exclusiva en el desarrollo de otras patologías como rinitis alérgica, dermatitis atópica, alergia a alimentos, teniendo en cuenta que varios estudios como los de Friedman N et al, Munblit D et al, Kull I et al postulan a la lactancia materna exclusiva como un factor protector para esas patologías 14,18,19 .…”