Impact of diet on the intestinal microbiota in 10-month-old infants.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether diet influences the composition of the intestinal microbiota in 10-month-old infants.


METHODS
Fecal samples were collected from sixty-five 10-month-old infants participating in a randomized 2 x 2 intervention study comparing cow's milk (CM) with infant formula (IF) with or without fish oil (FO) supplement. Infants randomized to CM received a daily iron supplement. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the feces. Polymerase chain reaction was performed with primers targeting the V3 and V6-8 region of the 16S rRNA gene and analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Cluster analysis of the DGGE gels was performed by use of the Pearson correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
Samples from infants receiving CM clustered differently than did those from the IF group in the V3-based DGGE gels (P < 0.001) and showed a different distribution with or without FO in the CM group (P = 0.001) but not in the IF group (P = 0.39). Repeat analysis with the V6-8-based DGGE gels showed the same pattern, although the V3 gels had 2.5 times as many bands as the V6-8 gels.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of CM or IF has a decisive influence on the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Supplementation with FO showed an effect on the microbiota only in the CM group. We speculate that these differences could be influenced by the intake of iron and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively.
Nielsen
Susanne
S
Department of Human Nutrition, Centre of Advanced Food Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Nielsen
Dennis S
DS
Lauritzen
Lotte
L
Jakobsen
Mogens
M
Michaelsen
Kim Fleischer
KF
D000818:Animals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005395:Fish Oils; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D058085:Iron Compounds; D008892:Milk
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005395:Fish Oils; D058085:Iron Compounds