Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks
09:49

Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks

Published on: September 25, 2021

4.8K

Enhanced nutrient supply and intestinal microbiota development in very low birth weight infants

Elin W Blakstad1,2, Katri Korpela3, Sindre Lee4

  • 1Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Akershus University Hospital and Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Campus Ahus, Nordbyhagen, Norway. e.w.blakstad@medisin.uio.no.

Pediatric Research
|May 16, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Enhanced nutrient supply positively impacts intestinal microbiota in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, increasing microbial richness and diversity. This favorable gut microbiome development is linked to improved infant weight gain.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal research
  • Microbiome science
  • Infant nutrition

Background:

  • A healthy gut microbiota is crucial for infant outcomes.
  • Nutrient availability significantly shapes the intestinal microbiota composition.
  • Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (<1500g) are particularly susceptible to gut dysbiosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of enhanced nutrient supply on the intestinal microbiota of VLBW infants.
  • To determine if nutritional interventions can promote a healthier gut microbiome in preterm infants.
  • To explore the association between microbiota development and infant growth.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized controlled trial involving 50 VLBW infants.
  • Intervention group received enhanced nutrient supply; control group received standard care.
  • Fecal samples analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing to assess microbiota composition.

Main Results:

  • Microbial richness decreased in controls but not in the intervention group.
  • Enhanced nutrition increased microbial diversity in moderately/very preterm infants.
  • Staphylococcus abundance decreased in extremely preterm infants with enhanced nutrition.
  • Higher Bifidobacterium abundance correlated with improved infant weight gain.

Conclusions:

  • Nutritional strategies can modulate gut microbiota richness, diversity, and composition in VLBW infants.
  • Enhanced nutrient supply did not increase pathogen abundance.
  • Favorable gut microbiota development, particularly increased Bifidobacterium, is associated with better infant weight gain.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Marmoset Research - Scope and Challenges04:52

Author Spotlight: Marmoset Research - Scope and Challenges

Published on: June 9, 2023

2.6K
Enhancing the Development and Growth of Infant Cerebral Palsy Rats Using Selective Spinal Manipulations05:04

Enhancing the Development and Growth of Infant Cerebral Palsy Rats Using Selective Spinal Manipulations

Published on: February 2, 2024

956

Related Concept Videos

Birth Control Methods01:22

Birth Control Methods

Vasectomy is a surgical form of male sterilization that involves severing and sealing the vasa deferentia, preventing sperm from mixing with semen during ejaculation. Because a vasectomy does not impact the testes' ability to produce testosterone, hormone levels, libido, and sexual function generally remain unchanged. While vasectomy is highly effective in preventing pregnancy, with a success rate near 99.85%, rare cases of recanalization (spontaneous reconnection) can occur. Although...
5.9K
Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
87.1K
Absorption of Nutrients01:19

Absorption of Nutrients

Absorption refers to taking dietary nutrients from the intestinal lumen for transportation throughout the body. After digestion in the small intestine, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are broken down into simpler forms. These essential macronutrients and other vital substances, such as vitamins, minerals, and water, are then prepared for absorption into the bloodstream.
Enterocytes, which are specialized polar epithelial cells, line the mucosa of the small intestinal walls. These cells...
3.0K
Weighted Mean00:57

Weighted Mean

While taking the arithmetic, geometric, or harmonic mean of a sample data set, equal importance is assigned to all the data points. However, all the values may not always be equally important in some data sets. An intrinsic bias might make it more important to give more weightage to specific values over others.
For example, consider the number of goals scored in the matches of a tournament. While computing the average number of goals scored in the tournament, it may be more important to...
6.2K
Mass and Weight01:19

Mass and Weight

Mass and weight are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. For example,  medical records often show our weight in kilograms, but never in the correct units of newtons. In physics, however, there is an important distinction. Weight is the pull of the Earth on an object. It depends on the distance from the center of the Earth. Weight dramatically varies if we leave the Earth's surface, unlike mass, which does not vary with location. On the Moon, for example, the...
15.2K
Atomic Weight01:25

Atomic Weight

Protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass, about 1.67 × 10-24 grams. Scientists arbitrarily define this amount of mass as one atomic mass unit (amu) or one Dalton. Electrons are much smaller in mass than protons, weighing only 9.11 × 10-28 grams, or about 1/1800 of an atomic mass unit. As a result, they do not contribute much to an element's overall atomic mass. This means that, when considering atomic mass, it is customary to ignore the mass of any electrons and...
11.8K