Parenting

Friday, July 03, 2009 (01:54:53), EST

Mother's milk protects baby's delicate intestines

We are aware of the nutritional element in mother's milk that is indispensable for baby's growth. Now, the scientists have added another dimension to this already proven fact. In a recent study conducted by Queen Mary researchers from London University, a molecule has been discovered in mother's milk that helps in protecting and repairing the intestines of infants. This molecule is named pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI) and considered an integral part of mother's milk that can be traced in the milk produced in the first few days after birth. The researchers have discovered that PSTI is a molecule generally found in the pancreas shielding it from being affected by the production of digestive enzymes. The molecule similarly plays the role of a protector in the gut. It is to be noted that the gut lining of a new born baby is delicate and prone to get damaged since it has never been exposed to food and drink. The researchers have discovered small amounts of PSTI in every sample of breast milk they studied. They also observed that the amount of this molecule is seven times more in colostrum and completely absent in formula milk. While examining the impact of PSTI on human intestinal cells they discovered that the molecule is effective in preventing further damage by stopping self-destruction of the cells of the intestine. Further study revealed PSTI's potential to lower the intensity of damage by 75 percent. The team of researchers were not cognizant about the reason behind the presence of this molecule in breast milk. Ray Playford of the London School of Medicine, the lead researchers suggested that breast milk comprises a number of different ingredients having several health benefits for babies. He concluded that this study shows that an ingredient of breast milk shields babies' delicate intestines and makes it ready to bear the exposure of food and drink they are going to consume in future.

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