2023 Volume 37 Issue 4 Pages 187-198
The human gut microbiota changes dynamically from birth through infancy and stabilizes by the age of three. The gut microbiota formed during infancy plays a major role in human health and disease, including allergic diseases, and its disruption (dysbiosis) can affect health status not only in the short term but also in the long term. Although dysbiosis has been reported to precede the onset of typical allergic diseases in children such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, and food allergies, the involvement of specific bacterial genera is not clear. Several studies have shown that butyrate, a metabolite of intestinal bacteria, is involved in the remission of allergic diseases, but the involvement of short-chain fatty acids in the onset is not yet clear. The formation and development of the gut microbiota is greatly influenced by mode of birth, the presence or absence of antibiotic use, and nutritional practices during infancy. In the prevention of allergic diseases by probiotics and other means, postnatal interventions are not effective, but the effectiveness of interventions during pregnancy has been reported. Analysis of the effects of foods and nutrients on the intestinal microbiota is particularly desirable in the future.
