Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.

<h4>Background/objectives</h4>Soaped palmitic acid (PA) has been reported to be excreted in stool after feeding infant formulas containing low sn-2 palmitate levels, which corresponds to high sn-1 or -3 palmitate levels. While an in vitro study showed that soaped PA inhibits the Bifidoba...

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Main Authors: Atsushi Ito, Hiromichi Shoji, Hiroko Arai, Satsuki Kakiuchi, Keigo Sato, Shinji Jinno, Naoto Takahashi, Kenichi Masumoto, Hitoshi Yoda, Toshiaki Shimizu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324256
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author Atsushi Ito
Hiromichi Shoji
Hiroko Arai
Satsuki Kakiuchi
Keigo Sato
Shinji Jinno
Naoto Takahashi
Kenichi Masumoto
Hitoshi Yoda
Toshiaki Shimizu
author_facet Atsushi Ito
Hiromichi Shoji
Hiroko Arai
Satsuki Kakiuchi
Keigo Sato
Shinji Jinno
Naoto Takahashi
Kenichi Masumoto
Hitoshi Yoda
Toshiaki Shimizu
author_sort Atsushi Ito
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background/objectives</h4>Soaped palmitic acid (PA) has been reported to be excreted in stool after feeding infant formulas containing low sn-2 palmitate levels, which corresponds to high sn-1 or -3 palmitate levels. While an in vitro study showed that soaped PA inhibits the Bifidobacteria growth, few clinical studies have evaluated effects of soaped PA on intestinal environments of infants. In this study, we aimed to evaluate associations between increased fecal soaped PA levels and inhibition of growth of the intestinal microbiome using clinical data, and to evaluate changes in the intestinal environment with formula-feeding.<h4>Methods</h4>This study was conducted as a secondary analysis to our observational study of Japanese 1-month-old infants (n = 172). Infant formulas were classified into high sn-2 formula (≥ 50%) and low sn-2 formula (< 50%) according to the sn-2 binding ratio of PA. Multiple regression analyses and path analysis were performed as statistical analyses.<h4>Results</h4>In the multiple regression analysis, the occupancy of Bifidobacteria was negatively correlated with the fecal soaped PA levels (β = -0.15, 95% confidence interval = -0.28- - 0.02). A path analysis suggested that low sn-2 formula feeding led to increased fecal soaped PA levels, decreased Bifidobacteria occupancy, and finally increased fecal pH.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our clinical data showed significant associations between higher fecal soaped PA levels and lower Bifidobacteria occupancy in the newborn gut, which agreed well with the report of the in vitro study. Our study also suggests that feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in the intestinal environment through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acids.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-3ce68ff84e8b41c08a2768c0fb3f8a702025-08-20T03:25:34ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032425610.1371/journal.pone.0324256Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.Atsushi ItoHiromichi ShojiHiroko AraiSatsuki KakiuchiKeigo SatoShinji JinnoNaoto TakahashiKenichi MasumotoHitoshi YodaToshiaki Shimizu<h4>Background/objectives</h4>Soaped palmitic acid (PA) has been reported to be excreted in stool after feeding infant formulas containing low sn-2 palmitate levels, which corresponds to high sn-1 or -3 palmitate levels. While an in vitro study showed that soaped PA inhibits the Bifidobacteria growth, few clinical studies have evaluated effects of soaped PA on intestinal environments of infants. In this study, we aimed to evaluate associations between increased fecal soaped PA levels and inhibition of growth of the intestinal microbiome using clinical data, and to evaluate changes in the intestinal environment with formula-feeding.<h4>Methods</h4>This study was conducted as a secondary analysis to our observational study of Japanese 1-month-old infants (n = 172). Infant formulas were classified into high sn-2 formula (≥ 50%) and low sn-2 formula (< 50%) according to the sn-2 binding ratio of PA. Multiple regression analyses and path analysis were performed as statistical analyses.<h4>Results</h4>In the multiple regression analysis, the occupancy of Bifidobacteria was negatively correlated with the fecal soaped PA levels (β = -0.15, 95% confidence interval = -0.28- - 0.02). A path analysis suggested that low sn-2 formula feeding led to increased fecal soaped PA levels, decreased Bifidobacteria occupancy, and finally increased fecal pH.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our clinical data showed significant associations between higher fecal soaped PA levels and lower Bifidobacteria occupancy in the newborn gut, which agreed well with the report of the in vitro study. Our study also suggests that feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in the intestinal environment through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acids.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324256
spellingShingle Atsushi Ito
Hiromichi Shoji
Hiroko Arai
Satsuki Kakiuchi
Keigo Sato
Shinji Jinno
Naoto Takahashi
Kenichi Masumoto
Hitoshi Yoda
Toshiaki Shimizu
Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.
PLoS ONE
title Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.
title_full Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.
title_fullStr Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.
title_full_unstemmed Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.
title_short Feeding infant formula with low sn-2 palmitate causes changes in newborn's intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid.
title_sort feeding infant formula with low sn 2 palmitate causes changes in newborn s intestinal environments through an increase in fecal soaped palmitic acid
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324256
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