Metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiome composition associated with vitamin D supplementation in Taiwanese infants

Abstract

Early childhood is a critical stage for the foundation and development of the gut microbiome, large amounts of essential nutrients are required such as vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating calcium homeostasis, and deficiency can impair bone mineralization. In addition, most people know that breastfeeding is advocated to be the best thing for a newborn; however, exclusively breastfeeding infants are not easily able to absorb an adequate amount of vitamin D from breast milk. Understanding the effects of vitamin D supplementation on gut microbiome can improve the knowledge of infant health and development. A total of 62 fecal sample from healthy infants were collected in Taiwan. Of the 62 infants, 31 were exclusively breastfed infants and 31 were mixed- or formula-fed infants. For each feeding type, one subgroup of infants received 400 IU of vitamin D per day, and the remaining infants received a placebo. In total, there are 15 breastfed and 20 formula-fed infants with additional vitamin D supplementation, and 16 breastfed and 11 formula-fed infants belong to control group, respectively. We performed a comparative metagenomic analysis to investigate the distribution and diversity of infant gut microbiota among different types of feeding regimes with and without vitamin D supplementation. Our results reveal that the characteristics of infant gut microbiota not only depend on the feeding types but also on nutrients intake, and demonstrated that the vitamin D plays an important role in modulating the infant gut microbiota, especially increase the proportion of probiotics in breast-fed infants.

Vitamin D Supplementation in Exclusively Breastfed Infants Is Associated with Alterations in the Fecal Microbiome

“…Among the subgroup analysis of exclusively breastfed infants, the alpha and beta diversity results demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation is associated with infant gut microbiota composition. These results are in good agreement with the study of Lei et al who investigated the role of vitamin D supplement on gut microbiome from 31 exclusively breastfed infants at 4-months-old [ 53 ]. Lei et al showed that vitamin D supplementation is associated with both alpha diversity and beta diversity of infant gut microbiome [ 53 ].…”

“…These results are in good agreement with the study of Lei et al who investigated the role of vitamin D supplement on gut microbiome from 31 exclusively breastfed infants at 4-months-old [ 53 ]. Lei et al showed that vitamin D supplementation is associated with both alpha diversity and beta diversity of infant gut microbiome [ 53 ]. Animal studies demonstrate that vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier by preserving the integrity of junctions that control mucosal permeability and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 [ 23 , 54 , 55 ].…”

Role of human milk oligosaccharide metabolizing bacteria in the development of atopic dermatitis/eczema

“…Some surveys state that the microbiomes of healthy, human milk fed infants in countries where breastfeeding is widespread are dominated by Bifidobacterium at abundances that often exceed 60% (74)(75)(76)(77). On the other hand, a generational loss of Bifidobacterium can be observed in regions like the US and Europe where there is a high prevalence of formula feeding and disruption of the fecal-oral transfer of maternal gut bacteria to infants due to higher incidence of cesarean births and perinatal antibiotic use (78).…”

Vitamin D and The Gut Microbiota: a Narrative Literature Review

“…Comparative metagenomic analysis was done to investigate the distribution and diversity of infant gut microbiota. The researchers found that vitamin D plays an important role in modifying the infant gut microbiota, especially increase the probiotics types [ 37 ].…”