Formula milk feeding does not increase the release of the inflammatory marker calprotectin, compared to human milk

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Gastroenterology
• Immunology

Background:

• Calprotectin is a biomarker for intestinal inflammation, crucial in diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases.
• Cow's milk protein in infant formula is a potential trigger for subclinical inflammatory responses.
• Understanding infant gut inflammation is key to optimizing infant nutrition and health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if cow's milk protein in formula induces higher fecal calprotectin levels compared to breast milk.
• To assess the potential for subclinical intestinal inflammation in formula-fed infants.
• To explore associations between fecal calprotectin, colic, and family history of allergies.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study measuring fecal calprotectin levels in exclusively breastfed and formula-fed infants at 12 weeks of age.
• Utilized an immunoenzyme assay (Calprest) for accurate quantification of fecal calprotectin.
• Recruited 38 breastfed and 32 formula-fed infants for the analysis.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in fecal calprotectin levels was found between breastfed and formula-fed infants (p = 0.09).
• A trend towards elevated fecal calprotectin was observed in formula-fed infants experiencing colic.
• Infants with a family history of allergies showed a trend towards higher fecal calprotectin levels.

Conclusions:

• Infant formula, in general, does not appear to activate significant intestinal inflammatory reactions compared to human milk.
• Subclinical inflammatory responses may occur in formula-fed infants at higher risk for allergic diseases.
• Further research is warranted to explore the nuances of infant feeding and gut inflammation.