Newborn immune system is not yet fully functional.
It needs to learn to defend against pathogens and tolerate harmless substances.
Contains 70-80% of the human body's immune cells and 100 trillion bacteria (the gut microbiome)
Gut epithelial barrier is part of the first line of defense
References:
1 Martin 2010
2 Wopereis 2014
3 Furness 1999
Softer, more acidic
Infant formula with scGOS/lcFOS (9:1) significantly stimulates the growth of bifidobacteria and
lactobacilli similar to breast milk.
Stools also become softer and
the pH decreases.
Number of children who required 2 or more antibiotic courses during their first year was also significantly lower with scGOS/lcFOS (9:1)
Resulted in fewer infections and reduced need for antibiotics after 2 years with scGOS/lcFOS (9:1)
Infant formula with scGOS/lcFOS (9.1) in the first six months reduced the risk of allergic manifestations up to 5 years.
Beneficial gut bacteria, like bifidobacteria, play an important role in immune development. 1,2