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Ruminant fatty acids in breast milk protect against childhood eczema
9 August 2010
In a study of 300 breast feeding mothers and their children, researchers from Maastricht University showed that children had a lower risk to develop eczema and allergy when the breast milk was rich in fatty acids from ruminant origin (derived through the mother's diet from cow's milk and other products from ruminant cattle). The protective effect of omega-3 (fish oil like) fatty acids against the development of eczema in preschool children was already shown in children in earlier studies. Experiments in mice suggested that also ruminant fatty acids could have such effects. The present study is the first that confirms this in children. The study was part of the KOALA Birth Cohort Study, and was recently published by dr. Thijs and co-authors in the early online issue of Allergy.
The present study (Thijs et al, Allergy 2010: 23rd July, on line) determined the proportion of fatty acids in breast milk of 300 mothers from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study, and followed up their child until age 2 years for development of eczema and allergy. The study showed that the risk of eczema and allergy was lower when the proportion of ruminant fatty acids was high in the breast milk.
Previous studies of fatty acids in breast milk have shown protective effects of omega-3 (fish oil like) fatty acids against eczema in preschool children. The present study extends this to a different class of fatty acids, namely ruminant fatty acids: vaccenic acid (a trans-fatty acids) and rumenic acid (a conjugated linoleic acid). The terms 'ruminant' and 'rumenic' refer to its nutritional source: produced in ruminant livestock like cows, who have a fore-stomach called 'rumen' (paunch) where bacteria produce rumenic acid. Meat and milk from these animals are rich in these fatty acids, and are our main dietary source (e.g. cow's milk, goat cheese, cow's and lamb's meat). These fatty acids are taken up by the mother from her diet, and transferred to the child in utero and through breast-feeding.
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