title: Effects of synbiotic supplementation on breast milk levels of IgA, TGF-β1, and TGF-β2.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Effects of probiotics on the immunological composition of breast milk have been investigated in a few previous studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to determine the effects of synbiotic (probiotic plus prebiotic) supplementation on immunoglobulin A (IgA), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) levels of breast milk and on diarrhea incidence in infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial, we recruited 80 lactating mothers who were exclusively breastfeeding their 3-month-old infants. We randomly divided the mothers into 2 groups to receive a daily synbiotic supplement (n = 40) or a placebo (n = 40) for 30 days. Demographic and clinical data (ie, health status) were obtained through an interview. The IgA levels of breast milk were detected by nephelometry, and the levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 were measured using a commercial Platinum ELISA kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The breast milk IgA increased significantly from 0.41 ± 0.09 to 0.48 ± 0.15 g/L in the supplemented group (P = .018), while in the placebo group, no significant changes were observed. Although the breast milk TGF-β1 levels did not change significantly, the TGF-β2 levels of breast milk increased significantly from 270 ± 37.8 to 382 ± 43.7 pg/mL in the supplemented group (P = .043). Also, the incidence of diarrhea in infants decreased significantly in the supplemented group while no significant changes were observed in the placebo group after the experimental period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Synbiotic supplementation may have positive effects on the immune composition of breast milk and the reduction of diarrhea incidence in infants.
authors.affiliation: 1Student Research Committee, School of Public Health & Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nikniaz
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostadrahimi
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahdavi
authors.forename: Mohammad Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hejazi
authors.forename: Ghasem Hosseini
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Salekdeh
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D058616:Synbiotics; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2
keywords: breastfeeding; diarrhea; human milk; immunoglobulin A; synbiotic; transforming growth factor β1; transforming growth factor β2