Influence of breast milk vs. formula and genetics on gut microbiota composition could help prevent Celiac disease

The autoimmune condition, Celiac disease, afflicts roughly one in 133 Americans. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Now a team of investigators from Spain shows that the level of genetic risk of celiac disease influences the composition of infants’ gut microbiota, and confirms earlier studies showing that the type of milk feeding—breast vs. formula—also influences the species distribution. Their hypothesis is that these changes in the intestinal microbiota may directly influence the risk of celiac disease, and that if this is so, changes in diet—particularly breast feeding—could reduce that risk. The research is published in the August Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

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