Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Jun;91(7):1849-1857.
doi: 10.1038/s41390-021-01678-1. Epub 2021 Aug 24.

New Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains: well tolerated and improve infant microbiota

Gunilla Önning  1   2 , Ragnhild Palm  3 , Caroline Linninge  4 , Niklas Larsson  5
Affiliations

New Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains: well tolerated and improve infant microbiota

Gunilla Önning et al. Pediatr Res. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Different microorganisms from the environment will begin to colonise the infant during and immediately after the delivery. It could be advantageous to influence the microbiome early on by giving infants probiotic bacteria. The aim of the study was to investigate the tolerance of two probiotic lactobacilli in infants. The effect on the microbiota was also followed.

Methods: Thirty-six healthy infants, aged 4-83 days at the start of the study, were given a daily supplementation of probiotics (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 271, 109 CFU (colony-forming units)) or placebo for 8 weeks. Adverse events, growth parameters, the faecal microbiome and intestinal performance were followed.

Results: No differences between the groups in growth parameters, adverse events and intestinal performance were observed. The faecal levels of L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus and lactobacilli increased after the intake of probiotics and were significantly higher compared with the placebo group after 4 and 8 weeks of intake. The faecal microbial diversity was similar in the two groups at the end of the study.

Conclusions: The intervention with the probiotic formulation was well tolerated and increased the level of lactobacilli in the intestine. The developed probiotic formulation will be further evaluated for clinical efficacy in infants.

Impact: New data for the development of the gut function and the microbiome in breastfed and/or formula-fed young infants over time and the effect of adding two probiotic strains are presented. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a species that seldom has been analysed in infants, but it could be detected in 25% of the subjects before administration (mean age 41 days). Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and L. rhamnosus establish well in the intestine of infants and are well tolerated. The microbiota was positively affected by the intake of probiotics.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

G.Ö. and N.L. are employed by Probi AB. C.L. has taken up a position in the public company BioGaia AB after the experimental part of the project was finalised and the data were interpreted, and the manuscript draft had been prepared. R.P. has declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. CONSORT diagram.
Flow of subjects through each stage of the study.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Number of children (%) who had detectable levels of different bacteria in their faeces at the start, and after 4 and 8 weeks administration of probiotics or placebo.
*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Backhed F, et al. Dynamics and stabilization of the human gut microbiome during the first year of life. Cell Host Microbe. 2015;17:852. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.05.012. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hill C, et al. Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 2014;11:506–514. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2014.66. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Korpela K, et al. Microbiome of the first stool after birth and infantile colic. Pediatr. Res. 2020;88:776–783. doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-0804-y. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rhoads JM, et al. Altered fecal microflora and increased fecal calprotectin in infants with colic. J. Pediatr. 2009;155:823–828 e821. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.05.012. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Braegger C, et al. Supplementation of infant formula with probiotics and/or prebiotics: a systematic review and comment by the ESPGHAN committee on nutrition. J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 2011;52:238–250. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e3181fb9e80. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources