Bifidobacterium infantis

Bifidobacterium infantis, or B. infantis, is a subspecies of the probiotic bacteria Bifidobacterium longum found in our gut and often in breast-fed infants. B. infantis shows promising results with supplementation for a variety of pediatric needs, improving stress responses, decreasing inflammation, and assisting with symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

B. infantis is a well-researched probiotic bacterium with numerous health benefits. It is a normal resident of the healthy gut microflora and is known to play a significant role in human health. Here’s a summary of its benefits:

  • Pediatric Health

    Research has shown promising results in the use of B. infantis in premature infants. One study found that pre-term gestated infants had lower enteric inflammation. Another study suggests that B. infantis could be given to premature infants to prevent Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) (a serious illness in which tissues in the gut become inflamed and start to die).

  • Stress Response

    One study found that supplementation of B. infantis may alter the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) response to stress. This study found that B. infantis may play a protective role against the harmful effects of elevated plasma glucocorticoid levels, which are a part of the endocrine stress response.

  • Inflammation

    One study found that in people suffering from ulcerative colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and psoriasis, supplementation of B. infantis showed promising results. The probiotic likely reduced levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (a sign of severe inflammation) and reduced plasma TNF-α levels (a biomarker produced by macrophages, indicating chronic inflammation).

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):

    One study showed that B. infantis improved bowel movement frequency and consistency, decreased symptoms of pain and discomfort, and decreased bloating much more effectively compared to another Lactobacillus probiotic. This same study found that B. infantis demonstrated a rapid response of improvement in IBS symptoms by the end of the first week of the eight-week study. In an overview of the research available on B. infantis, studies found that the probiotic eased abdominal pain, reduced bloating, improved bowel habit satisfaction, and improved gas significantly more than shown in the placebo results.

These benefits backed by scientific literature show the incredible potential impacts of Bifidobacterium infantis on various aspects of our health. These studies have concluded in the past decades, increased Western lifestyle habits have led to a decrease in the overall presence of B. infantis within the human body, leading to an increased recommendation to supplement your microbiome!