Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Breast milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) selectively promote the growth of specific beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis) and shape the infant gut microbiota towards a state that supports immune development and digestion.
For parents, breast milk is the optimal source for establishing a healthy infant gut microbiota due to HMOs. If breastfeeding is not possible, look for formulas containing prebiotics (GOS/FOS) to help mimic some of these beneficial microbial shifts.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
specific HMO components select for HMO-adapted species such as Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, and provide a selective advantage to this species in vivo
Why this rating
Supported by multiple metagenomic and transcriptomic studies on infant microbiota.
Source
The function of our microbiota: who is out there and what do they do?
Noora Ottman et al. · Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology · 2012
DOI 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00104
narrative_reviewCited 466×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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